Bomb Exploded In Front Of The Indonesian Embassy In Paris

 

A bomb exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris early on Wednesday, causing serious damage to surrounding buildings but no injuries, police said. The bomb exploded shortly before dawn at 5:45 a.m., when the streets of western Paris were relatively quiet, blowing out windows in a 50-meter (54-yard) radius and setting fire to two cars.

Police chief Michel Gaudin visited the scene after the blast, accompanied by his chief of staff, who told reporters that a bag had been spotted under the embassy’s windows by a worker clearing bins in the street. “He looked inside the bag, opened it and thought it must be a bomb since he saw a cannister attached to wires. He dropped it, left the area and called the police. That’s when it exploded,” Jean-Louis Fiamenghi said.

“No-one was hurt but there are people in shock in neighboring flats.”

Fiamenghi said the bomb could have contained “several kilos of explosives.”

No group or individual immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Police and fire fighters were rushed to the area and sealed off the road where the blast occurred. A bomb disposal team was also in place to make any remaining explosives safe.

In Jakarta, Teuku Faizasyah, Indonesian presidential spokesman on foreign affairs, said the government there had been informed of an incident, adding: “We’re still looking for clarity on whether we were the target or not. “In the mid-2000s there was a case of a small bomb explosion at the Indonesian embassy in Paris. It turned out to be a local incident, and nothing to do with a national threat,” he added.

Coordinating Security Minister Djoko Suyanto told AFP: “This is being investigated by the Indonesian embassy in Paris with coordination with local authorities.”

“The Indonesian ambassador in Paris reported that the explosion took place at one of the crossroads near the embassy at 5:20 a.m. We don’t know the target of the bomb. The ambassador is at the location but he can’t go near.

“The windows were broken but there’s no report yet of Indonesian or staff casualties. We are still waiting for developments,” he added.

Indonesia Will Not Close Paris Embassy After Bomb

Indonesia will not close its embassy in France after a homemade parcel bomb exploded outside its grounds in Paris, officials said on Wednesday. “We’re quite a resilient lot, Indonesians. No, I don’t think a little explosion is going to deter us from going about our business,” Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said, before adding: “But we will be vigilant, obviously.”

He was speaking in Jakarta after a package left near the Paris embassy building — by three men, witnesses said — exploded at around 5:45 a.m., shattering windows in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, Marciano Norman, head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), said he did not believe the bomb was meant for the Indonesian government. “It is still under investigation, but I am not convinced that it was targeting the Indonesian embassy,” he told journalists at the State Palace.

He said the government would continue to coordinate with the French authorities investigating the case.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro urged people to leave speculation to the authorities, saying that because the bomb blew up on the sidewalk, “there are many possibilities.”

Deputy House of Representatives Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso called on Marty to follow up with his French counterpart.

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