Bali Police reveal bomb contents

Bali Police reveal bomb contents

DENPASAR, Bali: Police on Tuesday disclosed the chemical components of the rucksack bomb detonated on Oct. 1 by a suicide bomber inside Raja's restaurant in Bali's main resort area of Kuta.

"After careful and meticulous laboratory examinations on various objects found near the blast site, we have managed to identify several chemical substances," said the head of the Bali Police's forensic laboratory, Sr. Comr. Budiono.

He said the substances were TNT (Trinitrotoluene), PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate), chlorate and sulfur. TNT is one of the most widely used explosive chemical compounds while PETN is generally used as an explosive booster or in detonation cords.

The residue of these substances were found in shredded garments believed to be parts of the suicide bomber's clothes. "We also found at least 200 iron pellets at the crime scene. Apparently, the terrorist used these tiny balls to enhance the destructive power of the bomb," he said.

Currently, the laboratory is trying to determine the chemical contents of the other two bombs that exploded at the same time in the Menega and Nyoman cafes in Jimbaran.

"The processes for the other two bombs are more difficult and will take more time," Budiono said. --JP