Grenade explodes near police officer's home

JAKARTA (JP): A hand grenade exploded in front of the official residence of Aceh Police deputy chief Sr. Comr. Adang Rochana on Sunday morning, severely injuring one woman, Antara reported.

The incident came less than 24 hours after a grenade exploded at the front gate of the gubernatorial office in Bandah Aceh, the capital of the restive province of Aceh. No casualties were reported in Saturday's blast.

Spokesman for the Security and Order Restoration Task Force in Aceh, Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harun, blamed Aceh separatist rebels for the explosion on Sunday morning.

"It was likely that the grenade was thrown at the house of the deputy police chief but missed," Harun said.

The blast hit a sedan driving along the road, which was driven by a woman. The victim, whose name has not been released, was rushed to Fakinah hospital, situated around 100 meters away from the scene of incident.

Local people know the busy area as Simpang Tiga, located some two kilometers away from Banda Aceh.

Police mobile brigade and bomb squad troops isolated the area as security measures were tightened up.

A security guard from the gubernatorial office said that four men on two motorcycles traveling at high speed from the direction of Banda Aceh hurled the grenade that exploded there on Saturday.

Governor Abdullah Puteh was not in the office at the time.

The blast at the office was the third in the past year.

Other witnesses said that, when the hand grenade was thrown, a truck carrying security personnel was traveling on the same street, about 600 meters away from the scene of the incident.

The security officers in the truck heard the blast and attempted to pursue the culprits, but to no avail.

The explosion could be heard within a radius of one kilometer, frightening most people at the gubernatorial office. (bby)