Nearly 1,000 Weapons Found in Indonesian School Room

Weapons cache discovered during school clear out

Police in South Jakarta have seized 996 weapons from a room at a private Islamic school, including 995 air guns and one 12 gauge shotgun. Suspected narcotics and 25 pornographic CDs were also found at the Harapan Ibu Islamic School Foundation complex in Pondok Pinang, Kebayoran Lama.

The discovery was made on Friday, August 7, when the school’s new management was clearing a room previously used by the foundation’s former chair. The former chair, identified in reports as IW or IWD, has been summoned for questioning.

Police said the weapons included four 4.5mm air rifles, 215 air pistols and 776 air revolvers. The Franchi SPAS15 shotgun was reportedly linked to a man who died in 2020.

The cache has prompted concern because it was stored on school grounds, close to classrooms and other facilities used by children. Authorities have not announced why the weapons were kept there or whether students had access to the room.

Minister calls for privacy and student protection

Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi urged authorities, school officials and the public to protect students from the consequences of the case. She said children should not be blamed or exposed to unnecessary attention while police investigate.

Fauzi said the school must protect students’ privacy and psychological well being, while keeping education running as normally as possible. She also called for every room and facility on the campus to be inspected and for supervision to be strengthened.

Introducing the minister’s position, officials said the investigation must proceed without allowing students to become part of the dispute between the foundation’s former and current management.

Children must not bear the burden of an issue that is beyond their responsibility. Let us protect their privacy and psychological well being, so that they can continue learning in a comfortable environment.

Fauzi also said the government respected the police investigation and would not prejudge the legal process. Her comments place student welfare at the center of the response as investigators establish who owned the weapons and how they reached the school.

Why the air guns have raised concern

Air guns use compressed air or another gas to fire pellets. They are often used for target practice and sports, and they are different from conventional firearms. Their legal status can also differ from that of guns that use explosive ammunition.

That distinction does not make them harmless. A pellet fired at close range can cause serious injury, especially to the eyes, head or chest. The risk depends on the weapon’s power, the ammunition and the distance from the target. Safe storage and controlled access are required wherever large numbers of such weapons are kept.

Untung Sangaji, a board member, said the management was shocked when the room was opened. He described the weapons as dangerous, though his explanation about their design has not been independently confirmed by police.

Before the quote, Sangaji said the foundation did not know why the weapons had been stored on school property.

When we opened the room, we found the weapons. We have no idea why they were being kept on school grounds.

The large quantity makes the case unusual. Police found hundreds of pistols and revolvers together, rather than a small number of items connected to recreational use. Investigators will need to determine whether the weapons were registered, who controlled them and whether any were moved, sold or used.

Conflicting accounts over ownership and school activities

A company linked to the Indonesian Shooting Association initially said the weapons were used for sports and school extracurricular activities. A lawyer for the former chair also said they were licensed and intended for school use.

The foundation’s lawyer disputed that account, saying the school had never operated a shooting extracurricular program. The conflicting statements have made ownership and purpose central parts of the police inquiry.

Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto provided the breakdown of the seized items and said the shotgun had belonged to a deceased man. He also confirmed that investigators had summoned the former foundation chair.

As for the other 995, they comprise four 4.5mm air rifles, 215 air pistols of 4.5mm caliber, and 776 air revolvers of 4.5mm caliber.

The former chair was dismissed in April amid allegations of misuse of foundation funds, according to reports. Despite his removal, he reportedly still had keys to the room where the weapons and other items were discovered. The allegations have not been resolved in court.

School shifts lessons online while rooms are checked

The foundation moved lessons online for a week across its South Jakarta schools, citing student safety. Parents reportedly supported remote learning while police examined areas that may have been used to store prohibited or dangerous items.

Foundation representatives said other rooms remained locked and required inspection. One room was described as resembling a bunker, though authorities have not disclosed what it contains. Lawyers for the foundation urged police to secure and clear areas whose contents remain unknown.

Remote classes can reduce immediate contact with an unsafe site, yet they also disrupt routines for students, teachers and families. The child protection minister has urged school leaders to conduct inspections without causing unnecessary disruption to education.

A safe return to campus will require more than removing the seized items. School officials will need to account for keys, storage areas and access records, while police determine whether additional evidence remains on the premises.

A wider concern about weapons in public places

The discovery comes amid other weapons related investigations in Indonesia. In Bali, authorities recently arrested a suspect accused of selling illegal firearms and seized a homemade handgun, ammunition and a soft gun. In Central Papua, a joint military and police patrol confiscated machetes, an air rifle, a bow and arrows, and slingshots.

Those cases involve different settings and security concerns, so they do not establish a direct connection to the South Jakarta school. They do show why authorities continue to monitor the movement of firearms, air guns and bladed weapons.

Safety worries have also been heightened by violent incidents at school linked sites elsewhere in the region. In Jakarta, an explosion at a mosque located inside a school campus injured at least 55 people in a separate incident. Police reported finding suspected explosive device parts and weapons during that investigation.

In the South Jakarta case, no injuries have been reported and police have not said that the school was the target of a planned attack. The central issue remains how such a large collection was stored in a room connected to an educational facility.

Investigation must establish facts

Lawmaker Adang Daradjatun called for a transparent and objective investigation. He said investigators should rely on evidence rather than public opinion or disputes between people connected to the foundation.

The law enforcement process must not be influenced by public opinion or conflicts between the parties involved. Investigators should work based on facts and evidence so that the outcome provides legal certainty and a sense of justice for all parties.

Police are expected to examine the weapons, verify licensing records, trace ownership and question people who had access to the room. They may also investigate the suspected narcotics and pornographic material separately, depending on laboratory results and applicable law.

For students and parents, the immediate priorities are secure facilities, clear communication and protection from publicity. Officials have said the children’s education and welfare should remain separate from any criminal or financial allegations involving adults.

Key Points

• Police seized 996 weapons at a private school in South Jakarta.
• The cache included 995 air guns and one Franchi SPAS15 shotgun.
• Suspected narcotics and 25 pornographic CDs were also found.
• A former foundation chair has been summoned for questioning.
• The school moved classes online for one week during inspections.
• Indonesia’s child protection minister urged privacy, psychological support and continued education for students.