Jakarta: More than 50 people were injured in a series of blast during Friday prayers at a mosque located within a school complex in Kelapa Gading, a district in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.
Authorities have identified a 17-year-old student as the suspected perpetrator behind the blasts. The incident occurred around 12:15 p.m. local time (05:15 GMT) inside the mosque situated on the grounds of a state-run high school. Most of the victims were students who sustained injuries ranging from minor wounds to severe burns. The suspect was also among those injured, according to Indonesia’s National Police Chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Police have launched an investigation into the explosion, including how the suspect allegedly assembled and detonated the device. A bomb disposal unit was deployed to the scene to ensure the area and check for any additional explosives.
Early accounts from witnesses suggest the explosive was a homemade device. One student told the media that the suspect, who had reportedly faced bullying at school, brought the bomb inside the mosque. Other pupils described him as a ‘loner‘ who often drew violent imagery and was found lying injured after the explosion.
A cook at the school recalled hearing a ‘massive blast‘ and seeing white smoke and shattered windows. Authorities also discovered two objects resembling firearms near the scene.
However, Indonesian Deputy Speaker Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus, who visited the site, later clarified that the objects were ‘toy guns,‘ dismissing reports of actual firearms being involved. Lodewijk Freidrich also urged the public to avoid labelling the incident as a terrorist act until investigations are complete.
Police also recovered a dark green belt used for holding gun cartridges as part of their ongoing probe. Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, has witnessed several isolated extremist-linked attacks in the past, though officials have not yet confirmed any ideological motives behind the explosion.
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