Detonator, timer found at Medan bomb blast site<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): A damaged detonator and timer along
\nwith other objects related to a homemade bomb were found by Medan
\nPolice at the bomb site on Jl. Syailendra on Monday, head of
\nMedan Police Laboratory Supt. Anto Sugiarto said.<\/p>\n
Anto said the lab officers were combing the site soon after
\nthe bomb exploded on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\"We also found a cover to the bomb. We've been examining all
\nthe evidence, but we have not yet come to any conclusions,
\nincluding on the type of explosive used.\"<\/p>\n
Anto said the bomb, containing highly explosive material, was
\nset off from a distance. But he said he had no idea what type of
\nexplosive was used.<\/p>\n
\"I assume the explosive was put in a pedicab parked on the
\nside of Jl. Mataram,\" Anto said.<\/p>\n
The bomb, which killed one person and injured six others,
\nexploded near an Indonesian Protestant Church (GKPI) and the
\nIndonesian Communion of Churches (PGI).<\/p>\n
Hotinda Sihite, 22, died from severe injuries to her head. Two
\nof the six injured are in critical condition at Herna Nursing
\nSchool Hospital.<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor Wahab Dalimunthe said after he visited two of
\nthe injured, Imelda Borumanik and Cacah Putri, at the hospital
\nthat the North Sumatra administration would pay all the victims'
\nmedical expenses.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Communion of Churches has also agreed to
\nallocate money for the victims' medical expenses.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, North Sumatra Police spokesman Supt. Amrin Karim
\nconfirmed on Monday that three people, \"two security guards and
\none employee of the Institute of Science and Technology,\" were
\nbeing questioned in connection with the blast.<\/p>\n
He did not say if they were being detained.<\/p>\n
Medan has been a target for terrorists, judging from the
\nseries of explosions in various places in the city this year.<\/p>\n
On May 28 a bomb blast rocked a GKPI church on Jl. Padang
\nBulan, injuring more than 45 people attending a service.<\/p>\n
Also in May, three other bombs were planted in two churches.
\nThey did not explode, but three were injured after another
\nexplosion destroyed a restaurant on Jl. Pemuda.<\/p>\n
Two other blasts took place in an area near Jl. Bahagia in
\nAugust. No fatalities were reported.<\/p>\n
Police have been criticized for failing to discover any of the
\nbombs. No suspects were arrested for the blasts.<\/p>\n
HSD Panggabean, a councillor, said on Monday that police
\nshould work extra hard to investigate all the bombings in Medan.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want the cases to remain unsolved. Police must
\nfinish their investigations with good results. The bombings have
\ncreated unrest among the people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf linked the
\nblast to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels.<\/p>\n
\"The indications are obvious. Medan is very close to Aceh and
\n(GAM) always creates public disorder every time police conduct an
\noperation,\" Saleh told reporters in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The police, however, was facing difficulties in finding the
\nsuspects because so far nobody was willing to testify.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker and
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais said in Siantar
\non Monday that those who planned the bombings were just political
\nthugs. Quoted by Ahmad Mulyadi, the deputy secretary of the head
\nof the North Sumatra chapter of PAN, Amien urged the police to
\narrest the barbaric and irresponsible people behind the fatal
\nbombings. (39\/jaw\/sur)<\/p>",
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