Seven homemade bombs planted in Jakarta mosque, police say suspect acted alone

Indonesian police say seven homemade explosive devices were planted inside a mosque in Jakarta last week, four of which went off during Friday prayers, injuring nearly 100 people.

Police said on Tuesday that the attack was carried out by a 17-year-old student who acted alone and was not part of any “terror network.” Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri described the suspect as a “child facing the law” and said the devices were detonated using a remote control.

The blasts occurred at a mosque inside a school complex in the capital’s Kelapa Gading area. Ninety-six people were injured, three of them seriously, Suheri said.

Police found seven homemade bombs in total, four of which exploded, along with suspected explosive powder, written material, and a toy weapon with inscriptions. The suspect was described as “closed” and “reclusive.”

On Monday, Jakarta police spokesperson Budi Hermanto told the Antara state news agency that investigators believe the motive was personal rather than religious. “The perpetrator is not anti any specific religion,” he said, suggesting that the suspect felt neglected by his family and that “it piled up.”

The student underwent surgery after the blast, police said, as investigations continue into his background and motive.

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