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Indonesian authorities have identified a 17-year-old male student as the suspect in a shocking attack at a high school mosque in Jakarta that injured 54 people, mostly students, during Friday prayers.
The incident occurred around midday at SMA 72, a state high school within a navy compound in Jakarta’s northern Kelapa Gading neighborhood. Witnesses reported hearing at least two loud explosions just as the sermon had begun, sending panicked students fleeing as gray smoke filled the worship space.
National Police Chief Listyo Sigit confirmed that the teenage suspect was among two students currently undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in the blasts. “Our personnel are currently conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the suspect’s identity and the environment where he lives, including his house and others,” Sigit told reporters at a news conference at the presidential palace.
Police recovered a toy submachine gun belonging to the suspect that bore disturbing inscriptions, including “14 words. For Agartha” and “Brenton Tarrant: Welcome to hell.” The “14 words” is widely recognized as a reference to a white supremacist slogan, while Brenton Tarrant was the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand that killed 51 people.
Despite these concerning connections, authorities have cautioned against immediately labeling the incident as a terrorist attack. “We discovered the weapon was a toy gun with specific markings, which we are also investigating to understand the motive, including how he assembled it and carried out the attack,” Sigit explained.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto acknowledged that investigators are exploring reports that the suspect, allegedly a 12th-grade student, may have been motivated by bullying. “We are still investigating the possibility that bullying was a factor that motivated the suspect to carry out the attack,” Hermanto said, noting that information gathering has been challenging as many witnesses are also victims requiring medical treatment.
Most victims suffered burns and injuries from flying glass, with 33 students still hospitalized at two facilities. Many experienced hearing loss as they were standing close to the mosque’s loudspeaker, near which the explosions originated. The exact type of explosives used has not yet been determined.
Videos circulating on social media captured the chaotic aftermath, showing dozens of uniformed students running across the school’s basketball court, some covering their ears. Worried family members gathered at Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals seeking information about their injured children, with parents reporting that some victims had wounds from nails and shrapnel.
The incident has rattled Indonesia, which has experienced a period of relative calm from militant attacks since 2023, what authorities have termed a “zero attack phenomenon.” Security experts have credited government initiatives for this stability.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has a history of militant violence, including the devastating 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, primarily foreign tourists. While attacks in subsequent years have generally been smaller in scale, targeting government institutions, police, and anti-terrorism forces, places of worship have not been immune.
In 2011, a Muslim militant detonated explosives in a mosque at a police compound in Cirebon during Friday prayers, injuring 30 officers. More recently, in December 2022, a convicted bombmaker who had been released from prison blew himself up at a police station in West Java, killing one officer and wounding 11 others.
Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri has emphasized that the capital remains safe and security is under control, urging the public not to panic while the investigation continues. Meanwhile, authorities are providing trauma counseling for affected students and teachers as the school community begins to process this disturbing event.
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11 Comments
This is a deeply troubling incident. I hope the authorities can get to the bottom of what motivated this attack and take steps to prevent such violence in schools in the future.
This is a deeply disturbing incident. I hope the injured recover fully and that the authorities are able to get to the bottom of what motivated this attack.
Agreed, the references to extremist ideologies are extremely troubling. We need to understand how these beliefs are spreading, especially among young people, in order to prevent such attacks in the future.
This is a tragic and disturbing attack. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. I hope the authorities can determine the motive and prevent such violence in the future.
Yes, it’s deeply concerning to see this kind of extremism and violence in a school setting. Securing these places of learning should be a top priority.
Tragic news. Schools should be safe havens, not targets of violence. I hope the investigation sheds light on how this could have happened and what can be done to protect students.
This is a horrific and senseless act of violence. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. I hope the authorities can determine the motive and prevent similar incidents from occurring.
Agreed, the references to white supremacist ideology are extremely concerning. We need to understand how these beliefs are spreading, especially among young people, and address the root causes to prevent such attacks.
Explosions in a school mosque – that’s just unthinkable. My condolences to the victims and the entire community affected by this senseless violence.
Wow, a 17-year-old student as the suspect? This is incredibly troubling. I’m curious to learn more about what could have driven him to carry out such a horrific act.
Agreed, the references to white supremacist ideology and the Christchurch shooter are especially alarming. This requires a thorough investigation to understand the roots of this radicalization.