Friday prayers turned into chaos in Jakarta when an explosion ripped through a mosque inside a high school complex. More than 50 people were injured.
Police say 54 victims were rushed to hospitals with burns and other injuries, while a 17-year-old student — now the main suspect — is undergoing surgery.
The blast happened just after noon in North Jakarta’s Kelapa Gading district, sparking panic among students and staff.
“I saw white smoke coming out of the mosque — the windows were shattered,” said a school cook, still shaken.
“Our hearts were pounding. We couldn’t breathe.”
A bomb squad combed the area for clues and to ensure no other explosives remained.
Questions Over Teen’s Motive
Early reports suggest the teen might have brought a homemade bomb.
This was possibly after being bullied by classmates, according to one student’s account.
Others described him as a “loner” who often drew violent sketches.
Adding to the confusion, police also found two toy guns near the scene.
One bore chilling inscriptions referencing Brenton Tarrant, the Christchurch mosque attacker.
Authorities are urging calm. “Let’s not jump to conclusions about terrorism,” said Minister Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus. The investigation is ongoing.
In a city that rarely sees school violence, the question now hangs heavy: what drove a teenager to bring such horror into a house of prayer?
