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View all search resultsJakarta school blast exposes failure to support mental health
Police identified the suspect as a 17-year-old “introverted” student who acted out of months of pent-up resentment toward his surroundings. The teenager reportedly had no safe outlet to express his emotions, feeling isolated and neglected both at home and at school.
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Forensic officers prepare a picture showing a toy firearm and other evidence lying on the ground where explosions occurred at a mosque inside a school complex during Friday prayers last week, during a press conference at Jakarta Police headquarters in on Nov. 11, 2025. ( REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan)
T
he recent explosion at SMAN 72 Kelapa Gading state high school in North Jakarta has sparked alarm over the education system’s failure to address mental health issues, after police revealed that the suspect behind the blast had long struggled with mental distress and feelings of neglect.
Police identified the suspect as a 17-year-old “introverted” student who acted out of months of pent-up resentment toward his surroundings. The teenager reportedly had no safe outlet to express his emotions, feeling isolated and neglected both at home and at school, Jakarta Police general crime director Sr. Comr. Imam Imanuddin said during a livestreamed briefing on Tuesday.
An officer from the police's Counterterrorism Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88), Adj. Comr. Mayndra Eka Wardhana, added that the student had a history of seeking out violent content online and was involved in an online community that glorified violent acts.
“He felt oppressed and isolated, carrying a motivation of revenge over how he was treated,” Mayndra said. “He visited websites showing deaths, accidents and other gruesome scenes. That’s what inspired him.”
Police said a toy gun found at the scene bore inscriptions linked to neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideologies, though investigators found no evidence of affiliation with such groups. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive.
Read also: Nationwide school safety in spotlight after SMAN 72 Jakarta blasts
The explosion, triggered by four of seven low-explosive handmade bombs containing potassium chloride planted in and around the school mosque, injured 96 people, mostly suffering from hearing problems. As of Tuesday, 28 remain hospitalized.
