Motive for hotel blast undetermined

Motive for hotel blast undetermined

JAKARTA (JP): West Jakarta Police chief Sr. Supt. Iwan
Nurisman Ismet said that judging from initial evidence the
perpetrator of Friday's blast at Omni Batavia Hotel in West
Jakarta had no intention to injure anyone.

"The suspect lit a bunch of firecrackers tied together. This
is not deadly ... the motive here was not kill," Iwan said.

"We are considering that this could be some sort of terror
directed at guests staying on the fifth floor, where the blast
took place."

Five of the 11 hotel guests were staying on the fifth floor,
before the blast.

Iwan said that his detectives believed the perpetrator took
the elevator to the fifth floor, lit the firecrackers, placed
them in the trash bin in front of the elevator, and left via the
elevator.

"The wick of the firecrackers was 10-centimeters long. That
should have given the suspect time to escape or at least, avoid
the blast. It took place during Friday prayers ... there were not
many people around the blast area at that time," Iwan remarked.

Iwan had said another possible motive could be recent internal
problems at the hotel.

He was referring to a strike by a number of hotel employees
about two weeks ago to protest the choice for the hotel's new
general manager. (ylt)