Five injured in explosions near court complex

KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer and four others were injured when explosions rocked three locations close to the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex about an hour after the High Court delivered its verdict on the sodomy case of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Police said it was not clear what caused the blasts, which came within minutes of each other.

The blasts, believed to be from home-made devices, also damaged five cars as well as a van and two motorcycles.

The five injured victims were being treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).

City police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohmad Salleh said initial investigations showed that two explosive devices were placed under police cones.

“Initial investigations revealed that the blasts originated from home-made devices with timers, as we recovered ball bearings, batteries and wires at the sites,” he told a press conference yesterday.

DCP Mohmad said the first explosion occurred at about 10.20am in Jalan Khidmat Usaha, about 300m from the court complex.

This was followed by an explosion at 10.45am in Jalan Dutamas, some 100m from the first blast and a third blast at 10.55am at Pintu (Entrance) B of the court complex, some 150m away.

DCP Mohmad said the lawyer and another victim were injured in the first blast. A Perodua Kembara was also damaged.

Three people were injured while a van selling drinks and two motorcycles were damaged in the second blast.

“As the police were combing the second blast site for clues, the third explosion rocked Pintu B. No one was injured but four cars were damaged,” DCP Mohmad said.

DCP Mohmad said the police were still investigating the cause of the explosions. No arrest has been made.

“Our forensic personnel, K9 unit and bomb squads are still combing the sites to gather evidence as there was no closed-circuit television footage available,” he said.

DCP Mohmad said police received information that a man was seen fleeing the scene shortly after the second blast.

Later in a statement posted on the KL police Facebook page, the five victims were identified as lawyer Keith Christopher, 27, Ng Kien Seng, 36, Juhari Mansur, 21, Isaiah Jacob, 46, and Tang Eng Ghee, 48.

Christopher was injured on his lips and leg, Ng on his right arm, Juhari (abdomen), Isaiah (neck) and Tang (right leg).

Another man known as S. Bakthavachalam, 63, who suffered a shock on hearing the explosion was warded at HKL's Coronary Care Unit and is in a stable condition.

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