On November 8, 2025, a tranquil Friday prayer service at SMA 72, a state high school nestled within a navy compound in Jakarta’s northern Kelapa Gading neighborhood, was shattered by a series of explosions. The blasts, which erupted just as the sermon began, sent gray smoke billowing through the mosque and left at least 54 people injured—most of them students. The incident, which unfolded around midday, has left the Indonesian capital reeling and searching for answers as authorities piece together the motives and circumstances behind the attack.
According to The Associated Press, witnesses described hearing at least two loud blasts, both from inside and outside the mosque. Panic quickly gripped the congregation as students and adults alike scrambled for safety, some covering their ears in a desperate attempt to shield themselves from the deafening noise. Videos that later circulated on social media captured the chaos: uniformed students sprinting across the school’s basketball court, some carried on stretchers to waiting cars, while others were tended to by first responders.
Police and emergency personnel arrived swiftly on the scene. The injured were rushed to nearby Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals, where shocked relatives gathered, anxiously seeking information about their loved ones. Parents recounted harrowing stories to local television stations, describing wounds caused by sharp nails and fragments from exploding objects. Many victims suffered burns and injuries from flying glass and blast fragments, with about 33 students remaining hospitalized, some with serious wounds.
Authorities wasted no time in launching an investigation. Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri told reporters that the explosions appeared to have originated near the mosque’s loudspeaker, though the exact type of explosives used remained unclear. An anti-bomb squad combed the scene and recovered several items, including a toy submachine gun and toy rifles. The toy gun, in particular, bore chilling inscriptions: “14 words. For Agartha,” and “Brenton Tarrant: Welcome to hell.” These references point to white supremacist slogans and the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand, which left 51 people dead and dozens more wounded.
National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo addressed the public from the presidential palace, emphasizing the complexity of the ongoing investigation. “Our personnel are currently conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the suspect’s identity and the environment where he lives, including his house and others,” Sigit stated, as reported by The Guardian. He confirmed that the main suspect was a 17-year-old male student at the school, who was himself undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in the blasts. Another student was also in surgery, though details about their involvement were not immediately disclosed.
Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, after visiting victims at the hospital, reiterated that the suspect was a 17-year-old male student. He provided no further details but assured the public that authorities were treating the investigation with the utmost seriousness.
Speculation about the motive behind the attack has been rampant. While the white supremacist slogans found on the toy gun have drawn international attention, police have cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the possibility of a terror attack. “We discovered the weapon was a toy gun with specific markings, which we are also investigating to understand the motive, including how he assembled it and carried out the attack,” Sigit said during a news conference. Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto added, “We are still investigating the possibility that bullying was a factor that motivated the suspect to carry out the attack.” He noted that obtaining information from witnesses had been challenging, as many were also victims in need of medical treatment.
Authorities have confirmed that they are providing trauma healing for students and teachers affected by the incident. Hermanto emphasized, “There are several obstacles in obtaining information from witnesses as they are also victims who need medical treatment to recover.” He urged the public to remain calm, stating that security in the capital is under control and that there is no immediate threat to public safety.
In the aftermath, the community has come together in both grief and resilience. Families have flocked to hospitals, supporting one another as they await news of their children’s recoveries. The local government has set up centers at Yarsi and Cempaka Putih hospitals to assist families and provide updates on the injured. Videos and eyewitness accounts have underscored the shock and confusion that gripped the school community in the moments following the blasts.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has a painful history with extremist violence. The 2002 Bali bombings, orchestrated by al-Qaida, killed over 200 people and marked a turning point in the country’s approach to counterterrorism. In the years since, attacks have become less frequent and less deadly, with the government credited for a “zero attack phenomenon” since 2023, according to security experts cited by NBC News. While Friday’s attack at SMA 72 is not being classified as terrorism at this stage, it has nonetheless revived memories of previous tragedies and prompted renewed vigilance among authorities and the public alike.
This is not the first time a mosque has been targeted during prayers in Indonesia. In 2011, a suicide bomber detonated explosives at a mosque within a police compound in Cirebon, injuring 30 people. More recently, in December 2022, a convicted bomb-maker who had been released from prison carried out a suicide attack at a police station in West Java, killing an officer and wounding 11 others. These incidents, though rare in recent years, serve as sobering reminders of the challenges Indonesia continues to face in ensuring the safety of its citizens.
For now, the focus remains on supporting the victims and their families, as well as unraveling the motives behind this disturbing act. As police continue their investigation—examining the suspect’s background, possible experiences of bullying, and the significance of the white supremacist references—the city of Jakarta is left grappling with difficult questions about violence, extremism, and the safety of its young people.
As the dust settles, the resilience of the community and the swift response of the authorities offer a measure of reassurance. Yet, the scars left by the explosions at SMA 72 will not soon be forgotten, and the search for answers continues as Jakarta looks to heal and move forward.
