Mosque blast revelations to be announced Monday
Mosque blast revelations to be announced Monday
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police are scheduled to disclose on
Monday the results of investigations in the case relating to the
April 19 powerful blast at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque, following
growing public speculation on the motive of those allegedly
responsible.
The investigation result "will be released tomorrow at noon",
an officer at the Jakarta Police's information unit said on
Sunday.
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman initially told
reporters on Saturday information would be released the following
day. Dozens of reporters waited at Jakarta Police Headquarters on
Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta for hours on Sunday only to found
the planned disclosure was canceled.
Because the explosive devices were placed on the ground floor
of the six-story mosque, where the risk of causing fatalities was
minimal, many speculated the blast was politically motivated.
Police tended to be "extra careful" while investigating the
case. None of the officers, including National Police chief Gen.
Roesmanhadi, were willing to speak about the crime and only said,
"The city police chief will talk later".
A reliable source, however, said on Saturday a state official
was allegedly behind the crimes, but he stressed police were
unlikely to divulge all their findings as the case was related to
elite politic maneuvering.
"We only focus on the criminal offense ... so far we have not
yet obtained confessions from the detained suspects that they
were doing it for political motives," the source said.
"The crimes are worth billions of rupiah and who can afford
that amount of money? So police will only release to media the
operators of the crimes," he said.
Thirteen people are currently detained in connection with the
crimes, and six bombs -- allegedly planned for placement in
several public places in the capital -- have been seized by
police.
"Most possibly only eight or 11 will be announced as the
operators," the source said.
The blast -- from a high mixture of trinitroluene (TNT) and
potassium chlorate (KCLO3) -- shattered windows of at least 21
offices of Muslim-based organizations. Damage was estimated at
about Rp 500 million.
Police have so far questioned 28 people as witnesses in
relation to the blast in a bid to identify two men suspected of
planting the bomb, who entered the mosque compound on an RX-King
motorcycle.(emf)