Molotov cocktails hit Australian school

Molotov cocktails hit Australian school

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta police detectives are searching
for a dark-colored Panther van, believed to be used by a group of
unidentified people who flung two Molotov cocktails into the
Australian International School compound in Pejaten, early on
Monday morning, chief of detectives Capt. Rycko Amelza Daniel
said.

"That's the only solid clue we have had so far," Rycko told
The Jakarta Post.

He added that the school's security guard, who was questioned
later in the afternoon, confirmed that the incident happened at
about 4:30 a.m.

"The guard said he only got to see the ball of fire, which he
immediately put out with the help of a nearby tap and bucket,"
Rycko said.

"The Molotov cocktails were made in two Krateng Daeng (a
brandname of energy drink) bottles," the officer said.

Australian International School principal Penny Robertson
confirmed the incident, saying the cocktails only burned a tiny
part of the school's driveway.

"No students arrive during early morning hours," she told the
Post.

The school had immediately reported the case to the local
police, who then deployed 30 officers to help guard the school.

Robertson said the incident did not affect the activities at
the three-year-old school, which has 200 students and 20 staff.

"We have about 30 different nationalities of students and
teachers here. So it's a threat to many countries, not only
Australia," she said.

She stated that school activities would continue as usual.

"The police are so far very cooperative. We hope that they can
catch the suspects soon," she said.

The school, she added, had received at least two telephone
threats last week from someone claiming to be from a Moslem
group, asking the school staff and students to leave the country
immediately following the arrival of the Australian-led Interfet
(International Force for East Timor) troops in East Timor.

Indonesia and Australia have suffered a severe strain in their
relationship due to the East Timor issue.

Even the guard at the international school refused to give his
name.

"He asked me not to tell anybody. He said he didn't want his
family to suffer, just because Indonesia and Australia are not on
good terms." (jun/ylt)