Another blast in Medan

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Following a bomb blast that damaged three cars at Medan mayor's office on Monday, another homemade bomb exploded in Labuhan Deli, more than 20 kilometers north of the city early on Tuesday, near a gas pipeline.

Another bomb planted directly below a liquefied gas pipeline did not explode.

The spokesman for the North Sumatra Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Amrin Karim, said the bomb blast that could be heard at a radius of two kilometers caused minor damage to the pipeline and several houses near the blast site.

No casualties were reported in the blast. But if the pipeline had been damaged it would have caused a major fire. The pipeline, built by state-owned Pertamina, is quite prone to fire since it has no special security provisions.

The bomb squad took the unexploded bomb to be examined at the police laboratory.

The police have detained 10 people in connection with further investigation into the blast. -- JP