JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesian police said on Saturday they had found what may be explosive powder while investigating blasts at a mosque inside a Jakarta high school that injured dozens of people on Friday. A 17-year-old student, the suspected perpetrator, was recovering after surgery, police said.
“Several pieces of supporting evidence were found,” National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo told a press conference after visiting victims in hospital.
He said investigators had recovered written material and “some powder that could have potentially caused an explosion”.
“We are gathering other records, including examining social media and family members to gather all the information,” Listyo said.
Listyo said the suspect, a student at the state-funded SMAN 72 school in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, was improving after undergoing surgery on Friday. He added that the suspect’s condition should make questioning and the investigation easier.
Casualties and immediate scenes
Police said at least 54 people were rushed to local hospitals with injuries ranging from minor wounds to serious burns.
Some victims have since been discharged, but two people remained in surgery — including the alleged suspect, Listyo said.
Local television and witness accounts reported at least two loud blasts around midday as a sermon was starting. Students and others ran out in panic as grey smoke filled the mosque.
Videos circulating on social media showed dozens of pupils in school uniform fleeing across a basketball court. Some covered their ears. Several injured pupils were carried on stretchers to waiting cars, witnesses said.
The mosque sits inside the SMAN 72 complex on largely navy-owned land in a crowded North Jakarta neighbourhood that houses many serving and retired military personnel, police said.
Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri told reporters the blasts appeared to come from near the mosque’s loudspeaker but the type of explosive was not yet known.
“We found a weapon, a fake weapon with writing on it … We will explain everything once we have gathered all the information, evidence from the ground, and the results of our investigation,” Listyo said. He urged patience while investigators established motive and method.
Bullying as possible factor
Police said they were looking into local media reports that the suspect, a grade-12 student, had been bullied and may have carried out the attack as an act of revenge.
“We are still investigating the possibility that bullying was a factor that motivated the suspect to carry out the attack,” Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto told reporters late on Friday.
Hermanto stressed the capital remained safe and called on the public not to panic. “Let the authorities work first,” Asep warned, urging people to avoid speculation until the probe is complete. “We will convey whatever the results are to the public.”
Black-clad police with assault rifles were seen guarding the school gates on Friday afternoon. Emergency and armoured police vehicles stood on the street outside.
Relatives gathered at centres set up at Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals seeking information on loved ones. Parents told television stations their children had wounds caused by flying glass, nails and fragments from exploding objects.
