TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsPolice look into possible terrorist connection to explosion
The National Police are still investigating an explosion that occurred on a vacant plot of land in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
T
he National Police are still investigating an explosion that occurred on a vacant plot of land in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday. Investigations thus far suggest the bomb was similar to ones used by radical groups.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said Thursday police were still analyzing the evidence and questioning the witnesses but had not yet named any suspects.
According to him, the explosion had been more similar to a large firecracker than a bomb.
'The explosion took place in an open space where local people usually hold events. We are still trying to find the people who put the explosive materials there,' Rikwanto told reporters at the National Police headquarters.
An explosion occurred in Tanah Abang at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, leaving four people injured. The victims were admitted to Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta.
The Jakarta Police's bomb squad (Gegana) found 49 firecracker packages along with black powder and nails, but no fuse, timer or detonator.
'We are still investigating how the bomb was set off or if there was a detonator to trigger it. Usually explosions with nails are used by radical groups from West Java or East Java,' Rikwanto continued.
The police suspected that one of the victims had been behind the explosion. Rikwanto said the local people had not considered any of the four victims suspicious, but had been open to the possibility that the suspect was one of the victims or a member of radical group.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said the incident was handled by the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism unit.
Separately, medical services and treatment head at the Kramat Jati Police Hospital Sr. Comr. Yayok Witarto said two victims had been treated at the emergency unit because of their severe injuries, while two others were treated at the general care unit and their conditions were improving.
'One victim was wounded on his face, eyes, hands and feet. We have 12 medical specialists treating all of them,' he said.
