Indonesia probes student after nearly 100 hurt in school blasts

Indonesian authorities said Saturday they were investigating a student over their alleged involvement in explosions that wounded nearly 100 people at a school in the capital Jakarta.

The blasts hit a school mosque in North Jakarta just as people were gathering for Friday prayers, sparking panic among worshippers.

The national police chief said investigators had gathered "several pieces of evidence" as part of their probe.

"There's writing, and there is also evidence of powder that could potentially have caused an explosion," Listyo Sigit Prabowo said in comments broadcast by Kompas TV.

Authorities so far have identified one suspect, a student who was wounded in the explosions, but Listyo did not rule out the involvement of others.

Investigators are also examining the suspect's family and social media, the police chief added.

Ninety-six people were wounded in the incident, Listyo said, revising the police's earlier casualty figure of 54.

At least 14 victims remain hospitalised, two of whom are in intensive care, he said.

Mayndra Eka Wardhana, spokesman for the counter-terrorism police unit Densus 88, told AFP that investigators had searched the suspect's home.

He added that they were still probing the motive behind the incident.

A witness told AFP there was confusion over what happened.

"At first we thought it came from some electronic equipment, maybe the sound system... but it turned out the explosion came from under the prayer mat," Kinza Ghaisan Rayyan, a 17-year-old student, said Friday.