Current terrorist threats targeting vital objects : BNPT

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) warned that terrorists globally and regionally are increasingly focusing their attacks on strategic vital objects and transportation systems.

Brigadier General Imam Margono, BNPT's acting deputy for prevention, protection, and deradicalization, remarked that strategic vital objects and transportation systems broadly impact people's lives, political stability, the economy, and national resilience.

"To anticipate the trend of terrorist attacks at the global and regional levels, Law Number 5 of 2018 was stipulated," he noted at the handover of certificates for guidelines to protecting facilities and infrastructure for 16 strategic vital objects and transportation systems in preventing terrorism in Jakarta, Thursday.

The law contains amendments to Law Number 15 of 2003 concerning the Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 1 of 2002 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism.

Margono remarked that implementing those laws and regulations generated several program and activity innovations to prevent terrorism, including through the National Action Plan for Combating Violent Extremism Leading to Terrorism (RAN PE).

He elaborated that RAN PE is implemented collaboratively across 48 ministries and institutions, including local governments, through integrated actions, comprising 130 action plans implemented until 2024 as a form of a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

According to the brigadier general, program and activity innovations also include the protection and improvement of facilities and infrastructure in collaboration with managers of vital objects and transportation systems, regional security forces, local governments, and the community.

To carry out the mandate in Law Number 15 of 2018 and Government Regulation Number 77 of 2019, his side issued BNPT Regulation Number 3 of 2020 concerning Guidelines for the Protection of Strategic Vital Object Facilities and Infrastructure in Preventing Criminal Acts of Terrorism.

"This guideline explains necessary security processes in strategic vital objects and transportation systems to prevent terrorism," he remarked.

Margono highlighted that managers of strategic vital objects and transportation systems can thus independently conduct early detection and efforts to prevent terrorism in their operational areas.

Strategic vital objects included areas, buildings, installations, or businesses with strategic value from a defense aspect and related to the people's lives, state interests, and/or sources of state revenue.