Bomb explodes in Jakarta's Chinatown

Passersby look at the site of one explosion in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A bomb exploded in front of a discotheque in Jakarta's Chinatown area in the early hours of Sunday, injuring five people, the official Antara news agency has reported.

One of the five people was reported to be seriously injured after the explosive struck in the northern part of the capital Jakarta, while police defused two bombs near other night spots in the city.

Jakarta police spokesman Anton Bahrul Alam told Antara the bomb that exploded in a foodstall in front of Chinatown's Exotic discotheque was a mid-size explosive.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

Jakarta's Chinatown area was the scene of bloody anti-Chinese riots in May 1998, which helped topple iron-fisted president Suharto from his 32-year rule.

Jakarta has been hit sporadically by bombings since then, attributed to motivations ranging from politics to religion to gangland rivalry.

Police were quoted by Antara as saying they were still investigating the Sunday incidents.

No other details on the blasts were immediately available.