Police still investigating Blok M firecracker blast

Police still investigating Blok M firecracker blast

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Police have not yet identified the
culprit in the firecracker explosion at a bus terminal near the
Blok M Shopping Mall in South Jakarta on Wednesday morning.

A security guard was injured in the blast.

"We have yet to identify the culprit or culprits behind the
incident. Nor have we been able to uncover the motive," Deputy to
the National Police chief for Operational Affairs Maj. Gen.
Koesparmono Irsan told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Speaking in English, Koesparmono said he suspected the
fireworks "were meant to attract public attention" in the run-up
to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference.

"It could also be a joke. We should not worry too much about
it," the two-star general said shortly after inspecting police
personnel security preparations for the 18-country economic
meeting with National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman.

So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the
explosion.

The injured security guard, identified as Lukito, and two
cleaning-service men have been questioned.

Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the cleaning-
service men found a package on the ground floor of the bus
terminal in the early hours of Wednesday. He and the other
janitor reported the find and handed the package over to Lukito
who was on duty at a nearby security post.

Maj. Gen. Koesparmono said when Lukito was handed the package
"he thought it was just a radio". He did not notice the
firecrackers it was attached to, so he took the batteries from
his walkie talkie and inserted them into it, the police officer
said.

That is when the explosion occurred.

After the explosion the security officer was taken to the
hospital where he received several stitches. He was sent home the
next day.

"We're still checking into possible motives and trying to
determine who did it," Koesparmono added. (bsr)