Esther Imonmion
At least 54 people were injured in the Jakarta blast that occurred during Friday prayers at a mosque inside a high school complex in Indonesia’s capital.
Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri said the victims sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious, including burns. Three people were in critical condition, while 17 others suffered minor injuries. Several victims have been treated and discharged, according to local reports.
The Jakarta blast took place around 12:15 p.m. local time (05:15 GMT) in the Kelapa Gading district of North Jakarta. Police said the suspect, a 17-year-old student, was undergoing surgery after the explosion. Investigators are now examining the student’s background and possible motives.
A bomb disposal team was deployed to the state-run high school to collect evidence and ensure there were no other explosive devices.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos following the Jakarta blast. A student told the government-owned news agency Antara that a homemade bomb had been brought in by a student who had often been bullied by classmates. Other pupils described the suspect as a “loner” known for making violent drawings and who was found lying on the ground after the explosion.
A school cook recounted seeing white smoke billowing from the mosque and shattered windows after what she called a “massive” blast. “Our hearts were beating fast, we couldn’t breathe,” she told Reuters.
Police also discovered two objects resembling firearms at the scene. Images published by Antara appeared to show one object similar to a submachine gun and another resembling a pistol, with inscriptions reading “14 words. For Agartha.” and “Brenton Tarrant. Welcome to Hell.”
Brenton Tarrant was the gunman behind the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand, which killed 51 people.
However, Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus, a government minister who visited the site later on Friday, told CNN Indonesia that the objects were toy guns. He urged the public not to jump to conclusions about whether the Jakarta blast was a terrorist act, saying investigators were still examining the evidence.
Authorities also recovered a dark green belt believed to be used for storing gun cartridges.
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, has experienced sporadic acts of violence in the past. Officials have yet to classify the Jakarta blast as an act of terrorism pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.