A mosque inside a Jakarta high school was rocked by an explosion during Friday prayers, injuring 54 people. The suspected culprit is a 17-year-old student. Authorities are investigating the motive and confirmed that objects resembling firearms found at the scene were toy guns. Police continue to probe whether the attack stemmed from personal grievances.
Dozens Injured in Jakarta High School Mosque Explosion
Dozens of people were hurt Friday during prayers at a mosque inside a high school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia. Authorities said 54 people were hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor burns and cuts to more serious trauma. Three were reported in critical condition, while 17 sustained minor injuries and others have been treated and released.
Police identified the suspected culprit as a 17-year-old student, who is currently undergoing surgery. Investigators are probing his background and motives, after the blast occurred around 12:15 p.m. local time (05:15 GMT) in Kelapa Gading, a district in North Jakarta.
A bomb disposal team was deployed to the state-run school to collect evidence and ensure no other explosives were present.
According to students, the suspect may have brought a homemade bomb to the mosque. Some classmates described him as a loner who was often bullied and had a history of drawing violent imagery. Eyewitnesses reported seeing him lying on the ground after the explosion.
A school cook described the scene: “White smoke was everywhere, and the windows were shattered. Our hearts were racing—we couldn’t breathe.”
Police also reported finding two objects resembling firearms at the site. Images circulated online suggested one was a submachine gun and the other a pistol. Inscribed on the submachine gun-like object were the phrases: “14 words. For Agartha” and “Brenton Tarrant. Welcome to Hell.” Tarrant was the gunman behind the 2019 mosque attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 51 people.
Later, a government minister, Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus, said the objects were toy guns, not real firearms. He urged the public not to label the incident a terrorist attack prematurely, as investigators continue to examine the scene. Another item recovered was a dark green belt for storing gun cartridges, which authorities are analyzing.
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, is on edge as police continue their investigation into the suspect’s motives and whether the attack stemmed from personal grievances or other factors.