Khaberni - Indonesian authorities are conducting an investigation into suspicions of a student's involvement in explosions that occurred on Friday at a high school mosque in Jakarta, which resulted in about 100 people being injured, according to the national police chief on Saturday.
The explosions occurred around 12:15 PM local time (5:15 AM GMT), near the entrance of a mosque located within the school and in the back part of it in North Jakarta, just before Friday prayers.
The national police chief Lestio Sejito Prabowo told Kompas TV on Saturday that 96 people were injured in the incident, a new total which is larger than the previous figure released by the police, which reported 54 people injured.
Most of the injured have returned home after receiving treatment. However, at least 29 people are still in the hospital, among them two in intensive care, according to the police chief.
He added that a student among the injured is suspected in the case, confirming that the involvement of associates is not ruled out. He mentioned that the investigation is ongoing.
“We are gathering evidence,” he noted, specifically mentioning “traces of gunpowder that may be capable of causing an explosion.”
Lestio clarified that investigators are working to gather information about the suspect's family and to scrutinize his social media sites.
Mayindra Eika Wardana, a spokesperson for the police anti-terror unit, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the suspect's house had been searched, adding that the police were seeking to determine his motives.
Student Kinza Ghisan Ryan (17 years old) told Agence France-Presse on Friday after witnessing the chaos following the explosions: “At first, we thought the explosion was caused by an electronic device, maybe the sound system or something malfunctioning, but in reality, the explosion occurred under the prayer carpet.”
