Bus bombing kills one in Poso

Bus bombing kills one in Poso

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Authorities closed the Trans-Sulawesi road between Poso and
Tentena after a bomb exploded in front of a bus bound for Poso,
killing one passenger and injuring four others.

This was the second bombing of a public bus in less than two
months in the Central Sulawesi regency of Poso, which once was
rocked with sectarian clashes.

The latest explosion came as Sulawesi welcomed its new
military commander Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaini, who was installed by
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu in the South Sulawesi
capital of Makassar earlier in the day.

The Omega bus was heading for Poso and carrying 26 people when
the bomb exploded.

No parties have come forward to take responsibility for the
blast.

Lage District Police chief First Insp. Marten Totombu told
Antara that the fatality was a woman, whose body has not yet been
unidentified. He added that the four injured victims were rushed
to Tentena public hospital.

A passenger who witnessed the explosion told Marten that the
bomb was inside a leather bag, which was lying on the road.

He said the bus driver thought the bag had fallen off a
vehicle and ordered the conductor to pick it up.

It exploded when the conductor tried to examine its contents.

Following the blast, people began to gather around the
explosion site, forcing the police to close the road, Marten
said.