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)