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Indonesia on Wednesday tightened security at shopping centers in Jakarta following bomb threats a day before the trial of radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir on terrorism charges, police said.

"I ordered security at malls to be heightened, we'll send more personnel to ensure public security," Jakarta police chief Sutarman told reporters.

More than 3,000 police and soldiers backed by armored vehicles and several snipers will guard the trial at South Jakarta district court, police said.

Police were taking special precautions after phone text messages threatening terror attacks circulated in the mainly Muslim country, Sutarman said.

"There are many such text phone messages circulating with some containing serious [threats]. We won't play down such threats," he added.

Bashir, 72, has been accused of providing funding of more than $62,000 to a terrorist group dubbed Al Qaeda in Aceh that was plotting attacks in Indonesia, and prosecutors have sought a maximum life sentence.

He is seen as a spiritual leader of Southeast Asian militants, but he denies any role in terrorist activity.

Court spokesman Ida Bagus Dwiyantara said judges who handled Bashir's case had also received the text messages which said "there will be bomb blasts in a number of places.”

"Police will provide special security to the judges," Dwiyantara said.

Security forces will be stationed around the court and only people with special identification passes such as journalists will be allowed on the premises.

Indonesia has been rocked by a series of attacks staged by regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah in recent years, including the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people.


AFP