Explosion rocks Denpasar school

DENPASAR, Bali: An explosion rocked an elementary school in a housing complex in Denpasar on Sunday, damaging the wall surrounding the building.

The deafening explosion at about 9:30 p.m. local time terrified residents of the Perumnas housing complex in Monang- Maning, eye witnesses said.

Police officers who arrived minutes after the blast assumed it was a large fire cracker, not a bomb.

"Preliminary investigation indicate that it was a large bomb thrown by men on a motorcycle," Bali Police spokesman Lt. Col. Suyatmo said on Monday. He said pieces of papers believed to be from the fire cracker had been collected as evidence.

Many speculated that the explosion was meant to spread fear, alluding to the recent riots in neighboring Lombok island. (zen/sur)