[meteorite-list] Indonesian Explosion Causes Stir

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Dec 20 01:28:55 2004
Message-ID: <200412200628.WAA29347_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/12/20/2003215956

Meteor's bang causes stir
AFP
December 20, 2004

TANGERANG, INDONESIA - A large explosion was heard over Jakarta
yesterday after a suspected meteor was seen streaking across the
sky over the Indonesian capital.

The blast, which came as the country is on heightened alert after
warnings of an imminent extremist attack, caused brief alarm but
astronomers said it was likely a large meteor exploding as it fell to Earth.

Dozens of people telephoned Jakarta's ElShinta radio to describe an
object, white in appearance, crossing the sky west of Jakarta and a
violent noise followed by what they said sounded like an echo.

The explosion could be heard in Tangerang, just west of Jakarta, the
southern suburb of Depok and as far away as Bogor, some 60km south of
the capital.

"It is difficult to say what it was because there were no clear timing
between the sighting and the blast, but from what the various accounts
said, it is very likely to have been a falling meteor," said astronomer
Muji Raharto.

More than six hours after the sightings were reported at around 7:30am
it was still unclear what the object was or where it exploded.

Police said they had no reports of any fallen objects and said they were
still investigating the origin of the explosion.

"We have called all subdistricts and they all say they are not aware" of
falling meteor in their area, a female police officer on duty at the
Tangerang district police, First Inspector Kamtini told reporters.

Air force spokesman First Air Marshal Sagom Tambun said the air force
was not monitoring falling objects such as meteors.

"Our radars are only for detecting and monitoring horizontal moving
objects in the sky, and only then are we interested if the object
suddenly moves on the vertical," Tambun said, adding that he has had no
reports of any observation of a falling object in the sky so far.

Indonesia's security forces have been on alert after warnings from
western governments that Islamic militants blamed for a series of deadly
bombings in the country were planning an imminent attack in the run-up
to Christmas.

Meanwhile, meteorologists in both Jakarta and Tangerang said there had
been no seismic irregularities registered in the areas. Officials at
Jakarta's international airport said their radars were incapable of
picking up meteors.

Raharto, from the Boscha astronomical observatory in Bandung, West Java,
told reporters that only specialized radars could detect falling space
debris and to be visible in daylight, the falling meteor would have to
be substantial in size.

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http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1449362004

Meteor shower blamed for Indonesia blasts
MARGARET NEIGHBOUR
The Scotman (United Kingdom)
December 20, 2004

A SUSPECTED meteor shower triggered a security alert in Indonesia
yesterday, following reports of several loud blasts across the capital,
Jakarta.

Police said they had found no evidence the blasts were caused by bomb
attacks. An official from the Indonesian space centre LAPAN told the
Antara news agency they were likely to have been caused by a meteor shower.

"It's suspected that a fireball originating from a big meteor entered
the Earth's atmosphere ... This created the explosion," said Thomas
Djamaluddin, a LAPAN space expert.

Police, on high alert after warnings from Western governments of
possible terror attacks over Christmas and the New Year, said that they
were investigating the blasts. Residents reported hearing explosions
early yesterday in Jakarta, the satellite city of Tangerang, and Serang
in West Java province.

Western governments have warned that an international hotel could be
targeted, possibly one of the three Hiltons in the world's most populous
Muslim nation.

Islamic militants from Jemaah Islamiah, seen as the regional arm of
al-Qaeda, have launched several bomb attacks in recent years in Indonesia.

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1268548.htm

Indonesia blasts may be meteor shower
Reuters/AFP
December 19, 2004

Several loud blasts have been heard in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta,
and two nearby towns, though one radio report said it could have been a
meteor shower.

Police, on high alert after warnings from Western governments of
possible terrorist attacks over the Christmas and new year period, said
they had no information on the blasts.

A presidential spokesman also said he had no details.

Local Metro TV reported that residents heard the blasts about 7:30am in
Jakarta, the satellite city of Tangerang and also Serang in West Java
province.

Dozens of people telephoned El Shinta radio describing a fast, whitish
object crossing the sky towards the west of Jakarta and a big explosion
followed by what they said sounded like an echo.

Muji Raharto, an expert from the Boscha astronomical observatory in
Bandung, West Java, told El Shinta there were no reports of any spatial
objects crashing and that based on the visual accounts the object was
very likely a meteor.

More than two hours after the blasts were heard, there were no reports
of any casualties or damage, indicating the cause of the explosions was
probably not bomb attacks.

Local news radio and TV stations were paying little attention to the
explosions.

Western governments, especially Australia, have warned an international
hotel could be targeted for attack in coming weeks.
Received on Mon 20 Dec 2004 01:28:49 AM PST