An explosion rocked Indonesia's National Police headquarters in Jakarta early on Monday, but there were no reports of casualties or serious damage. One source said a small homemade bomb had exploded. A police source said the cause of the blast was not immediately known, but a witness inside the headquarters complex told Reuters: "The device was a bomb found around 6.30 a.m. inside a flower pot. According to the police it was a homemade one with a timer and battery."
He said the device exploded before bomb disposal experts could arrive.

"It was a small blast and no casualties, only minor damage," the witness said.

A bomb attack on October 12 on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, blamed by authorities on militant Muslims, killed nearly 200 people.

The police source said the explosion occurred around 7:15 a.m. at the outside entrance of a building inside the complex in south Jakarta. He said some windows in the area were shattered. There were no other initial reports of damage.

Aside from the Bali attacks, which officials have said were carried out by Islamic militants linked to the Southeast Asian regional Jemaah Islamiah network, Indonesia has seen sporadic bomb blasts in recent years as the country struggles to deal with ethnic, religious and separatist violence.

More than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the Bali attack.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation. While the vast majority of the country's Muslims are moderates, increased militancy among some elements has seen violent clashes with Christian groups and calls for a change from secular government to one imposing Islamic law.

Since September there have been warnings from diplomats and other sources of possible bomb attacks in Jakarta by militant groups linked to Jemaah Islamiah and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda.

There have been a number of bomb alerts in the capital since then and in some instances explosive devices have been found. In a grenade-throwing incident in September, in which one would-be attacker was killed, the target of the botched assault was said to be a U.S.-owned building.

Security has been stepped up at embassies and many private and public facilities in Jakarta but Monday's blast may raise fresh questions about whether enough is being done.

PHOTO CAPTION

An explosion rocked Indonesia's National Police headquarters in Jakarta early on Monday, Jan 3, 2003, but there were no reports of casualties or serious damage. One source said a small homemade bomb had exp