Explosion startles S. Jakarta residents
Explosion startles S. Jakarta residents
JAKARTA (JP): After a recent string of blasts, a small
explosion shocked residents of the Gudang Peluru Complex in South
Jakarta on Tuesday morning.
No fatalities or injuries were reported following the
explosion, which was reportedly caused by firecrackers placed
inside an empty energy-drink bottle.
The blast occurred at a minibus depot and damaged a
surrounding wall. The depot, which houses minibuses plying the
Kampung Melayu-Manggarai route, was empty when the bottle
exploded.
The bottle containing the firecrackers was reportedly planted
there by two former minibus crew members.
"We have arrested both suspects, Purwanto and Saito, who were
seen by eyewitnesses running off following the explosion and giggling
hysterically. They told police officers that they were just
experimenting," South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang W.
told reporters.
Bambang said that the police were investigating the
possibility that the suspects planted the low-level explosive
device at the depot in order to take revenge against the depot
owner, Siswanto, after both suspects lost their jobs as minibus
crew members.
Monday's explosion occurred minutes after firecrackers had
been let off during a religious ceremony in the area which was
attended by the neighborhood unit (RT) and community unit (RW)
heads.
"After the firecrackers had been let off during the ceremony,
suddenly we heard a loud bang and it did not come from the
ceremony. Then we saw these two men running away and giggling,"
an eyewitness said.
"We searched for the source of the explosion and found that it
was in the minibus depot."
A hand grenade thrown by a passerby who was possibly on foot
or riding in a vehicle exploded on Sunday evening under the
Mampang Prapatan flyover, South Jakarta, just four days after a
hand grenade exploded under the Slipi flyover in West Jakarta.
In the Slipi flyover incident, one man eventually died of
blast injuries.
It is feared among lower-ranking police officers from the
Jakarta Police that a blast could occur under the Taman Ria-
Senayan flyover in Senayan, Central Jakarta, located about 500
meters away from the People's Consultative Assembly/House of
Representatives building.
The Assembly is slated to convene a special session on August
1, that will likely lead to the removal from office of President
Abdurrahman Wahid. (ylt)