Police hit dead end in bomb case

JAKARTA: The police have no leads concerning explosives found at the Atlantic Hotel on Jl. Salemba in Central Jakarta on Sunday, an officer said on Monday.

"To date, there is no new development in the investigation. We are still waiting for news on the components of the explosives from the police forensic laboratory," Central Jakarta Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Edmond Ilyas said when?.

Police questioned on Sunday two hotel employees: front desk employee Khairul Falak and housekeeper Wahyu Gito.

The homemade explosives were found on Sunday by the housekeeper in a toilet cistern in the form of a portable cassette player which was wrapped in several cables. The other package was found in the same room on the bed in a tennis ball canister.

Edmond said the police were having difficulty with the investigation because the guest who had stayed in the room did not leave a copy of his identification card with the hotel reception. -JP