Early morning blast near UN office<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A pipe bomb exploded on Thursday morning on Jl. Wahid Hasyim
\nin Central Jakarta behind the United Nations building, slightly
\ndamaging a pedestrian bridge but causing no injuries.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng
\ntold reporters at the scene that the explosion was caused by a
\nlow-explosive device that appeared to have been assembled by
\nnonprofessionals.<\/p>\n
"It went off early in the morning at 5:20 a.m. and only
\nresulted in a 30-centimeter crater by the bridge that crosses
\nKali Krukut," Erwin said, referring to a creek that runs behind
\nthe UN building.<\/p>\n
The officer said the bomb was constructed from low explosives
\nplaced inside a 34-centimeter-long and 10-centimeter-wide iron
\npipe. It was wired to a timer and used a motorcycle battery as
\nits power supply.<\/p>\n
The police cordoned off part of the two-way Jl. Wahid Hasyim
\nmoments after the blast, causing an early morning traffic jam.
\nTraffic on Jl. Thamrin, which runs in front of the UN building,
\nwas undisturbed.<\/p>\n
Activity at the UN building continued as normal despite the
\nearly morning blast. However, security in and around the building
\nwas tightened.<\/p>\n
Police are questioning 12 people who were in the area when the
\nexplosion occurred. So far the 12 are only being considered as
\nwitnesses.<\/p>\n
"Their accounts of the blast have yet to shed any light on who
\nwas responsible for the blast or their motive," said Sr. Adj.
\nCom. Sukrawardi Dahlan, chief of the Central Jakarta Police.<\/p>\n
Sukrawardi pledged that the police would find those
\nresponsible for the explosion.<\/p>\n
The blast took place one day after police arrested 18 members
\nof the regional terror network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI). It also
\noccurred the day after the treason trial of the network's alleged
\nleader, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, opened.<\/p>\n
Thursday's explosion also occurred two days after the
\ndetention of Habib Rizieq Shihab, a militant Muslim cleric who
\nfaces trial for attacks on nightspots and bars by his followers
\nin the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said that
\nby setting off the bomb near the UN building, the perpetrators
\nhad hoped to spread fear among the populace.<\/p>\n
Based on how the device was assembled, Makbul said police
\nassumed the bomb was of the same type as used in the Feb. 3,
\n2003, explosion at Wisma Bhayangkara inside the compound of the
\nNational Police Headquarters in South Jakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/early-morning-blast-near-un-office-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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