Grenade explodes near police officer's home

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)