VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) visited the wounded victims of bomb blasts at three churches in Surabaya, East Java, who were treated at the Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, Sunday.

The president made the visit after reviewing two bombing incident locations namely GKI church on Jalan Diponegoro Surabaya and Central Pentecost Church Surabaya on Jalan Arjuna.

The President visited the treated victims accompanied by several officials including National Police Chief Tito Karnavian, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, Head of National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Budi Gunawan, and Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto.

Previously, President Jokowi canceled two of his agenda in Jakarta and immediately departed to Surabaya shortly after receiving reports of a bomb explosion in the city.

The first church visited by the President was the GKI church on Jalan Diponegoro. The President and entourage arrived at 3.30 p.m. and were greeted by East Java Governor Soekarwo and Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini.

Then at 3:45 p.m. the President arrived at Central Pentecost Church Surabaya on Jalan Arjuna.

At the church whose parts were burned, the President chatted with the coordinating minister for Political, Lagal and Security Affairs, the head of BIN, the chief of the National Police and Commander of the TNI.

The President on the occasion received reports on the explosions at the Church of the Immaculate Santa Maria on Jalan Ngagel Madya, Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) on Jalan Diponegoro, and Central Pentecostal Church on Arjuna Road.

The first explosion occurred at the Church of Mary Immaculate, which is around 7:30 a.m. The other two explosions took place each 5 minutes after the first explosion.

"The act of terrorism is really barbaric and beyond the limits of humanity that caused victims of community members, police officers, as well as innocent children including perpetrators who use two children aged about 10 years as suicide bombers," the President said.

He asserted that terrorism is a crime of humanity and has nothing to do with any religion where all religious teachings reject any terrorism. (ANTARA)