Thursday’s attacks in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, which killed at least seven people, are believed to have been the handiwork of an outfit, or outfits, linked to the Islamic State group.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo condemned the explosions throughout Jakarta on Thursday, January 14, calling the blasts an “act of terror”.
Indonesia is reeling in shock as terror returned to the streets of Jakarta with a series of explosions and a firefight Thursday.
Indonesia’s head of national intelligence confirmed the attacks were down to terrorism but said “there are no indications yet that it’s ISIS related”. He said that one Indonesian and one Dutch citizen had died, but the Dutch embassy said only that one of its nationals was wounded and being treated in hospital.
Starbucks said all of its staffers are safe.
Hundreds of police officers, including snipers, are on the streets as the shootout with the suspected attackers is continuing. Poso, an area dotted with Christian churches and Hindu temples, saw some of the most gruesome attacks.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Indonesian officials say they were warned in November that the Islamic State group had threatened a “concert” in Indonesa-meaning an attack.
“The state, nation and people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts”, he said.
Images from the scene show the Starbucks cafe’s windows were blown out – and in startling footage that’s been posted online, an amateur video caught what seems to be another explosion that followed, occurring in clear view next to a parked van.
“The attack was likely timed to hit busy lunchtime traffic and was centered on the convergence of Wahid Hasyim street and Medan Merdeka, close to Jakarta’s high security area”.
Indonesia has been attacked by Islamist militant groups in the past. He says the other two attackers, carrying handguns, entered a police post from where he heard gunfire.
A man then emerged from the chaos with several guns and began shooting randomly, but particularly at police, he said.
Raids by security forces across the island of Java last week netted supporters of the Islamic State and foiled a string of attacks. Tito Karnavian told a news conference that the first attack – a suicide bombing – happened at a Starbucks restaurant, causing customers to run outside, where two gunmen opened fire, killing the Canadian and wounding an Indonesian.
But after the Bali and Marriott bombings much of that generation ended up in jail and they were also identified by the police, limiting their freedom of movement.
Police saw suspects throwing grenades from motorbikes, according to USA media reports.
Indonesia has been on edge for weeks following warnings that Islamic militants were planning something big.
Authorities have been keenly aware of the danger of terrorism since bombings on Bali in 2002 that killed more than 200 people, more than half of them foreign tourists.
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“There were a lot of people in the Starbucks”, he said, noting that United Nations staff had been injured at the cafe. Police foil terror plots being planned by several groups, including a plan to launch a suicide attack on New Year.
