The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A jeep that looked like it had just been repainted black was double-parked in front of a hotel. Three men got out.

After they had gone into the hotel, two black sedans pulled up. Two men got out and entered the building as well.

Minutes later, gunshots were heard, followed by a blast from an explosive-rigged white car parked outside the hotel. A hotel security guard rushed out, shouting for backup.

A police strike force quickly arrived at the scene and fanned out. Armed personnel came by helicopter and climbed down the outside of the hotel, entering a third-floor window. After a gun battle, police caught the terrorists and freed their hostages from inside the hotel.

Another terrorist attack? No, the shots and explosion were just part of a training program at the police academy in Semarang, Central Java, last week.

Siege situations and hostage negotiations were included among the scenarios.

"We hold trainings four times a year for police officers from various regions across the country.

Usually, each city police force sends 35 officers," said Insp. Gen. Primanto, the governor of the police academy.

Primanto explained that the training usually lasts 21 days. Officers practice freeing hostages in an airplane, a train, a bus and a hotel, as well as defusing a bomb.

Although the training shows officers how to respond to potentially violent situations, using real explosives and live bullets, it emphasizes safety.

"Each training costs Rp 270 million. The National Police bear all the costs," he said.

Training unit director Brig. Gen. Adjie Rustam Ramdja said the frequent drills, supported by state-of-the-art facilities, showed the country's commitment to fighting terrorism.

The training facilities include a mock four-story hotel and high-ranking official's house, a passenger plane, a train, a bus, a shooting range, a tower and a bulletproof house.

"We use the tower to train snipers and the bulletproof house for shooting practice using live bullets," Adjie said.

"In antiterror school, we train police officers and members of the police's antiterror Detachment 88 to respond to real-life crisis situations," he added.

All the facilities are on the police academy's property. Although the academy claims to be an international antiterror school, it currently trains only Indonesian personnel.

"Foreign police officers will be welcome to train here in the future, but not now. We are not ready yet," said Adjie.

Non-nationals can sign up for training, however, at the Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC), which is also located on the 125-hectare police academy property.

The JCLEC focuses more on investigation and intelligence analysis, said Adjie.

Participants learn criminal intelligence analysis, financial investigation, bomb scene management and victim identification.

As of last year, 120 trainers from 14 countries had trained 1,247 police personnel of 31 nationalities at JCLEC. The center's establishment and operations have been financed by donor countries.

"For example, a recent coastal patrol training on Semarang and Kuta beaches was financed by Italy, one of the JCLEC donor countries," said Adjie.

The initiative to establish the JCLEC as a training center to counter transnational crimes arose after the first Bali bombings in 2002, in which 202 people were killed.

Its establishment was based on an agreement struck between 25 foreign ministers during an Asia Pacific Summit meeting held on Feb. 5, 2004, in Bali.

Australia contributed AUS$36.8 million (US$28 million) to support the JCLEC's development and operations for the first five years after its establishment in 2004. The Netherlands contributed 10.3 million euros (US$13 million) for residential quarters for students and teachers, as well as for curriculum development. (07)