Suicide Bomber at Police HQ in Indonesia

(Cirebon, West Java) During Friday prayers at the Al Dzikr Mosque inside the Cirebon Police headquarters, "Allah is Great" chanting had just begun when a 31-year-old local man, Muchamad Syarif, blew himself up, injuring at least 26 people, mostly police officers.

Witnesses recalled seeing the suicide bomber, who was killed immediately in the explosion, begin Friday prayers along with everyone else. But they also noticed that while he was praying, he appeared distracted and seemed to be eyeing the police chief.

Cirebon Police Narcotics Division Chief Adj. Comr. Tri Pilayanto recalled that the suicide bomber did not carry a backpack but had a thick black jacket that apparently hid the low-level explosives strapped around his body.

He also noticed the bomber attempting to get as close to the police chief as possible.

The bomb reportedly contained potassium chlorate and was packed with nails.

According to West Java Police Chief Inspector Gen. Suparni Parto, terrorism investigators continue to search for a motive since Syarif doesn't fit the profile for a suicide bomber. It's believed that he was brainwashed by the al-Qaeda-linked Southeast Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Interestingly, Syarif has been described as quiet, introverted, mysterious and estranged from his parents. In other words, Syarif exhibited attributes conducive to being recruited to a radical belief system.