Jakarta school mosque blast injures 54 during Friday prayers

Apowerful explosion ripped through a mosque inside a high school complex in North Jakarta during Friday prayers, injuring at least 54 people – many of them students and teachers – and prompting authorities to investigate possible terrorist involvement.

The blast occurred around 12:09 p.m. local time at SMA Negeri 72 (SMAN 72), a public high school located within the Indonesian Navy’s Kodamar compound in Kelapa Gading Barat, one of Jakarta’s busiest residential districts.

The mosque, typically reserved for students, staff, and local worshippers, was packed with around 100 to 150 people when the explosion erupted mid-sermon.

Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri confirmed that 54 victims were taken to various hospitals, including Sumber Waras and the Kelapa Gading Community Health Center, with injuries ranging from minor cuts to severe burns.

“We have several patients in critical condition,” Suheri told reporters at a televised press conference, adding that children were among the wounded.

Chaos at the scene

Eyewitnesses described a sudden, deafening explosion that sent worshippers scrambling for safety.

“It was like a bomb – one loud boom and the ground shook,” said ER, a 25-year-old resident living near the school. “I ran outside and saw students bleeding, screaming, and running in every direction.”

Videos posted online showed ambulances crowding the school’s gate as medics carried victims on stretchers.

Police in riot gear sealed off the area while firefighters combed the site.

Despite the shock, early visuals showed the mosque’s walls largely intact – suggesting the blast was concentrated, possibly from a small explosive device hidden inside.

Suspected bomb components

The investigation took a chilling turn when authorities discovered two rifles, a revolver, and what appeared to be improvised explosive device (IED) components near the scene.

One firearm reportedly had the phrase “Welcome to Hell” engraved on it, while another bore references to previous extremist attackers.

Officers also recovered a tactical vest, fueling suspicions of a terror plot.

One suspect was detained shortly after the explosion, though officials have not disclosed their identity or motive.

Forensic teams from Puslabfor (the National Police’s forensic laboratory) and counterterrorism units from BNPT (National Counter-Terrorism Agency) have been deployed to examine residue and explosive traces.

Response and security lockdown

The response from security forces was immediate.

Firefighters initially suspected a malfunction in the mosque’s sound system, but bomb disposal experts from the elite Gegana unit quickly ruled out electrical causes.

The Navy sealed off the Kodamar complex and surrounding streets as joint police – military teams swept the area for secondary devices.

Traffic in the Kelapa Gading area ground to a halt, with residents urged to stay away. Ambulances ferried victims to nearby hospitals, while makeshift triage zones were established near the compound gates.

Community shock

The explosion stunned Kelapa Gading, a middle-class district known for its shopping malls, schools, and dense residential blocks.

SMAN 72, founded in 1962, is a respected institution with over 1,200 students, emphasizing science and religious education.

“This was supposed to be a safe space for children to pray,” said one community elder standing outside the police cordon. “What happened here is an attack on both our youth and our faith.”

As evening fell, prayers were held across Jakarta for the injured. President Joko Widodo has yet to issue a statement, but local officials pledged a thorough investigation and urged calm. “We will not let acts of terror intimidate our communities,” said North Jakarta Mayor Ali Maulana Hakim.

Security concerns

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has faced sporadic extremist threats over the past two decades.

While large-scale terror attacks have become rare since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, authorities have warned that small, localized cells inspired by global extremist groups remain active.

The National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) is leading the investigation, coordinating with the Navy and Jakarta Police to determine whether the school mosque was deliberately targeted or if the explosion stemmed from a planned act of intimidation.

As forensic teams continued work late Friday, officers expanded their search for possible accomplices. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

DailySabah