Explosion at mosque in Jakarta injures 55 people, teen suspect identified - CNA
The suspected perpetrator is about 17 years old and currently undergoing surgery, said deputy house speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.
Police are stationed in front of the gate of SMA Negeri 72 in Kelapa Gading, Jakarta, the location where two explosions occurred, causing 55 casualties with injuries ranging from burns to hearing impairments, on Nov 7, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Ridhwan Siregar)
JAKARTA: Two blasts at a school mosque in the Indonesian capital Jakarta injured at least 50 people on Friday (Nov 7), authorities said, with a student accused of being responsible for the incident.The explosions took place at a North Jakarta high school around 12.15pm local time, sparking panic among the students."It immediately turned chaotic at the school; everyone ran outside to the field," 16-year-old Muhammad Rizky Muzaffar told AFP."Many of the students were injured, and a lot of them were taken straight to the hospital," he said, adding that the blast took place just before Friday prayers started at the school mosque.
Police are investigating the cause of the explosion at the site in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, city police chief Asep Edi Suheri told a televised press conference earlier in the day. The site is on largely navy-owned land, and is home to many military personnel and retired officers.Β
A total of 55 people were admitted to hospitals, 33 of whom were "still receiving medical treatment", Jakarta police spokesman Budi Hermanto said.
Asep said authorities had also set up posts in two hospitals to assist relatives in finding injured victims.
CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less National police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the suspect was a student who was injured and undergoing surgery."Regarding the motive, we are currently investigating various kinds of information," Listyo said at a news conference.Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus, deputy coordinating minister of politics and security, urged the public not to rush to judgment."Don't jump to the conclusion that this is a terrorist act," Lodewijk was quoted as saying by the Antara state news agency, saying a probe was underway.He said the explosions took place at the back of the mosque on the school campus and near its door.
Witnesses told local television stations that they heard at least two loud blasts around midday, just as the sermon had started at the mosque at SMA 72, a state high school.
Antara also quoted the deputy chief security minister Lodewijk Freidrich as saying there were two explosions at the mosque.
Students and others ran out in panic as grey smoke filled the mosque.
"We were so surprised by the sound, it was massive. Our hearts were beating fast, we couldn't breathe, and we ran outside," said Luciana, 43, who was working at the school canteen at the time. She described multiple blasts, broken windows and panic as dozens fled the complex.
"I thought it was an electrical wiring problem, or the sound system exploded, but we didn't know exactly what it was because we ran out just as a white smoke billowed from the mosque."
Earlier, the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency said that the explosion originated from a speaker at the school.
