Jakarta. Jordanian King Abdullah II condemned the recent Jakarta high school explosion that injured nearly 100 people during his bilateral talks with President Prabowo Subianto on Friday evening.

Prabowo hosted Abdullah II, whom he often referred to as an old friend, on a state visit. The first few minutes of the meeting showed Abdullah slamming the recent blasts at the mosque of a Jakarta high school. A large part of their discussions was not open for media coverage.

“We, as a country, strongly condemn the horrible attack targeting your high school. We condemn this,” Abdullah II told Prabowo.

“As you know, Jordan will always stand by you, on your side, and support you in everything,” the king said.

The news of a school bombing rocked the nation last week. On Nov. 7, explosions shook the mosque of the SMAN 72 high school in North Jakarta during Friday prayers. The blast injured a total of 96 people, including students and teachers. The school is located within a Navy compound in the Kelapa Gading area. The incident involved a seventeen-year-old suspect. 

According to police reports, the suspect idolized global mass shooters. He was also active in online groups that glorified violence. The teen also learnt how to make homemade bombs from online tutorials. The police have kept the suspect’s anonymity due to his status as a minor. The suspect, who studies at the school, remains hospitalized, although he has already regained consciousness. The government is mulling over restricting violent online games following the devastating attack. 

The broadcast parts of the Prabowo-Abdullah II meeting mostly showed the leaders walking down memory lane. Prabowo commented on how he had an “emotional bond with Jordan”, citing his days of residing in the Middle Eastern country back in the late 1990s. 

A December 1998 New York Times article wrote that Jordan had offered Prabowo citizenship. Prabowo turned down the offer as Indonesia forbade its people from having dual citizenship.

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