Multiple Explosions Injure 54 People at Mosque in Jakarta High School During Friday Prayers

A series of explosions at a mosque in a Jakarta high school injured 54 individuals, primarily students. Authorities have identified a 17-year-old suspect linked to the incident, prompting an ongoing investigation.

Indonesian authorities have identified a 17-year-old boy as the suspect in an attack on a mosque at a high school in Jakarta, injuring 54 people, mostly students. Witnesses reported hearing two loud explosions during Friday prayers at SMA 72, a state high school within a navy compound in northern Jakarta. The blasts caused panic as grey smoke filled the mosque.

Police recovered a toy submachine gun from the suspect, inscribed with white supremacist slogans. However, they dismissed speculation of a terror attack. "The suspect is a 17-year-old male student," Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad stated after visiting victims in the hospital. National Police Chief Listyo Sigit confirmed that the suspect was undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in the blasts.

Investigation into Suspect's Motive

Authorities are investigating the suspect's motive, including how he assembled the toy gun with inscriptions like "14 words" and "Brenton Tarrant: Welcome to hell." These references point to white supremacist ideologies and the Christchurch mosque attack by Brenton Tarrant in 2019. "We discovered the weapon was a toy gun with specific markings," Sigit explained.

Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri noted that most victims suffered burns and injuries from flying glass. The type of explosives used remains unknown, but they originated near the mosque's loudspeaker. He cautioned against labeling the incident as a terror attack before completing investigations.

Bullying as a Possible Factor

Reports suggest the suspect might be a grade 12 student who faced bullying and sought revenge through what was intended as a suicide attack. "We are still investigating if bullying motivated the suspect," Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto said. He added that obtaining information from witnesses is challenging since they also need medical care.

Authorities revised the number of injured to 54, noting that most victims were near the loudspeaker and suffered hearing loss. About 33 students remain hospitalized for burns and wounds from blast fragments. Hermanto assured that Jakarta is safe and urged people not to panic.

Families Seek Information

Videos on social media showed students fleeing across the school's basketball court, some covering their ears to shield themselves from the blasts. Injured individuals were carried on stretchers to waiting vehicles. Relatives gathered at Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals for updates on their loved ones.

Parents reported their children sustained injuries from sharp nails and debris. Indonesia has experienced significant militant attacks, such as the 2002 Bali bombings by al-Qaida, which killed 202 people. More recent attacks have been less deadly but targeted government and police forces.

This incident is not Indonesia's first mosque attack. In 2011, a Muslim militant detonated an explosive at a mosque in Cirebon, injuring 30 people during Friday prayers. In December 2022, another militant attacked a police station in West Java, killing an officer and wounding others.

The Southeast Asian nation has seen what authorities call a "zero attack phenomenon" since 2023, attributed to government efforts maintaining stability. Security experts credit these measures for preventing further large-scale attacks.

With inputs from PTI