Explosions During Friday Prayers at Jakarta School Mosque Injure 55

Jakarta, Indonesia – On November 7, a series of explosions took place at a mosque located in a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, during the Friday prayers, injuring at least 55 people, mostly students. While authorities are investigating the incident, police have urged the public not to speculate about the possibility of a terror attack.

According to witnesses interviewed by local television stations, at least two loud explosions were heard around midday inside and outside the mosque, as the sermon commenced. The mosque is situated at SMA 27, a state high school within a navy compound in northern Kelapa Gading, Jakarta.

As grey smoke filled the mosque, students and other attendees fled in panic. Most of the injuries sustained were due to glass shards and burns, and the explosions are believed to have originated near the mosque's loudspeaker, as stated by Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri.

Those injured were quickly taken to nearby hospitals. While many were treated and released, 20 students remained hospitalized for burn injuries, with three in serious condition, according to the police chief.

Social media videos circulated showing students in school uniforms running frantically across the school’s basketball court, some covering their ears from the loud blasts. Some of the injured were transported on stretchers to waiting vehicles.

Concerned relatives gathered at information centers set up at Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals, seeking updates on their loved ones. Parents have reported that their children suffered injuries from sharp objects such as nails and debris.

A police anti-bomb squad was deployed, and they discovered toy rifles and a toy gun near the mosque. Suheri urged restraint from jumping to conclusions about the nature of the incident, highlighting the need for a complete investigation before making any determinations.

“Let the authorities work first,” Suheri said. “We will convey whatever the results are to the public.”

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, has a history of militant attacks. The most significant was in 2002 when al-Qaida bombings in Bali resulted in 202 fatalities, mostly among foreign tourists. Subsequent attacks have targeted foreigners, government institutions, and those seen as infidels by militant groups.

More recently, in December 2022, a Muslim militant and convicted bomb-maker attacked a police station in West Java, causing one fatality and injuring 11. In 2023, the country has entered what authorities call a “zero attack phenomenon” period, attributing the stability to government efforts ensuring national security.

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