Desk Report:
At least 55 people were injured in two explosions at a mosque in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Friday during Friday prayers. Police said many of the injured had burns and serious injuries.
Indonesia’s state news agency Antara reported that two explosions occurred at the scene. Local authorities are investigating the incident as a possible attack. A 17-year-old student has been identified as the suspected attacker.
Police said the scene was a mosque inside a school complex in the Kelapa Gading area of the capital. More than 100 people were inside the mosque at the time of the explosion.
Luciana, 43, was working in the school canteen. “Suddenly there was a loud noise. Our heartbeats increased, no one could breathe properly. Everyone ran outside,” she told Reuters. There were multiple explosions, windows were broken, everyone started running in panic.’
Luciana added, ‘At first I thought maybe there was a short circuit in the electrical wires or the sound system exploded. But before I knew what exactly had happened, white smoke started rising from the mosque.’
Sufmi Dasko Ahmad, deputy speaker of Indonesia’s national parliament, told reporters after visiting the hospital that the suspect was among the injured. He is currently undergoing surgery. However, he did not give details about the motive for the attack.
Indonesia’s police chief, Listo Sigit Prabowo, also said that the suspect is a student at the school. Investigations are underway to find out his identity, whether he has been involved in any previous similar activities, and the possible motive for the attack. “We have identified the suspect and are investigating his identity, his surroundings, his house and everything.”
After the explosion, police surrounded the mosque and school complex and declared the area a crime scene. Police in black uniforms stood guard with automatic rifles. Ambulances and armored vehicles lined the streets.
The mosque is reportedly located in an area owned by the navy and home to many military officers and retired soldiers. “My children go to that school,” said local resident Emmanuel Tarigan. “After the explosion, I went to look for them. There was a huge crowd, I saw many injured people lying on the floor. Some of their faces were completely disfigured.”
Indonesia has a history of attacks on churches and some Western-style buildings, but attacks on mosques are rare. Militant activity has increased in recent years.
