Indonesian authorities say a 17-year-old male student has been identified as the suspected perpetrator of blasts that rocked a mosque at a state high school during Friday prayers in Jakarta, injuring at least 55 people, most of them students.
The incident occurred around midday at SMA 72, a public high school located inside a navy compound in the Kelapa Gading neighborhood. Witnesses told local media they heard at least two loud explosions just as the sermon began. Smoke filled the mosque and students ran out in panic, videos on social media show.
Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the suspected attacker is undergoing surgery. National Police Chief Listyo Sigit said at a presidential palace news conference that the suspect was one of two students receiving operations after suffering serious injuries in the blasts. Police said they have identified the suspected perpetrator and are conducting an in-depth investigation into his identity, home environment and other connections.
Investigators found that the device used resembled a toy submachine gun and bore inscriptions that included “14 words. For Agartha,” and “Brenton Tarrant: Welcome to hell.” Police said they are examining how the weapon was assembled and carried into the mosque. Officials cautioned against drawing firm conclusions about motive while they continue to collect evidence.
Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri said the explosions appeared to come from the area near the mosque loudspeaker. Most injuries were caused by glass shards and burns. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals; police reported 20 students remained hospitalized for burns, with three in serious condition.
Relatives gathered at hospitals seeking information. Parents described children with wounds from sharp nails and fragments. Some injured students were carried on stretchers to waiting vehicles after the blasts.
Authorities emphasized the investigation is ongoing and urged the public to avoid speculation. Police continue to process the scene and interview witnesses to determine exactly what happened and whether the attack was part of a wider plot.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has experienced major militant attacks in the past, most notably the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people. There have also been mosque and police compound attacks in previous years, including a 2011 suicide bombing at a mosque in a police compound in Cirebon that injured around 30 people and a December 2022 suicide bombing at a West Java police station that killed one officer and wounded 11.
Authorities have described 2023 onward as a period of relative stability, calling it a “zero attack phenomenon,” but they say this latest incident will be thoroughly investigated before any motive or classification is announced.