Three questioned over blast in Blok M area<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police are still questioning two cleaners and a
\nwounded security officer in relation with the blast near the Blok
\nM Shopping Mall in South Jakarta on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto insisted the
\nblast was not caused by a bomb or dynamite.<\/p>\n
\"It was just harmless fireworks,\" the two-star general told
\nreporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
Reliable sources at the South Jakarta police precinct, which
\nis handling the case, said that one of the cleaners found the
\npackage on the ground floor of the bus terminal next to the
\nshopping mall in the early hours of Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He then reportedly went to the nearby security post with his
\ncolleague and handed it over to the on-duty guard, Lukito.<\/p>\n
Seconds after being in Lukito's possession, the parcel
\nexploded, slightly wounding his nose and hands.<\/p>\n
After receiving several stitches, the security officer was
\nallowed to leave hospital yesterday morning and was questioned by
\npolice officers along with the cleaners, identified as Iwan and
\nWarsidi.<\/p>\n
There were no other reported casualties.<\/p>\n
According to Hindarto, police have yet to reveal any motive
\nfor an unidentified party to place the package at the terminal,
\nwhich is normally crowded during the day.<\/p>\n
\"Members of the City Police Bomb Squad are still studying all
\nmaterial evidence found at the scene of the blast,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A timer was reportedly fixed to the package which gave the
\nimpression of a time bomb but Hindarto said it was just a toy and
\nnothing to do with bombs.<\/p>\n
The blast, which would have occurred inside the city's busy
\nbus terminal, led the public to link it with the upcoming 18-
\ncountry Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to be
\nattended by a number of heads of state, including the United
\nStates President Bill Clinton.<\/p>\n
However, Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
\nSecurity Soesilo Soedarman yesterday denied that the blast could
\nhave any connection to meeting. (bsr\/22)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-questioned-over-blast-in-blok-m-area-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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