Islamic State group backers have circulated a claim of responsibility on Twitter for attack and Indonesian police said the attackers were affiliated with the Islamic State group.
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At least seven people were killed, police said, in an attack on a country that Islamic State had threatened to put in its “spotlight”.
It was not clear who was shooting but police had cordoned off the area, preventing reporters from going near the scene.
National Police spokesman Insp. Five unexploded bombs and two pistols were found once the attacks were over.
Police also said that 20 people were wounded in the attacks, among them at least five police officers and an Algerian, who police said escaped from the Starbucks.
1118 – Security forces were seen entering the bombed Starbucks cafe in central Jakarta, said an eyewitness.
“The Starbucks cafe windows are blown out”, a Reuters photographer reported, ” I see three dead people on the road”, the photographer added.
National Police spokesman Maj. Another was caused by a man on a motorcycle throwing a hand grenade.
Starbucks says all stores in Jakarta will remain closed, out of an abundance of caution, until further notice.
Tweets from the account of Jeremy Douglas, Jakarta-based regional representative of the United Nations drugs office, described a bomb and “serious” exchanges of gunfire on the street outside his office.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who was in the city of Cirebon at the time of the Thursday attacks, expressed condolences with the victims and said that he had ordered security forces to hunt down those responsible.
“The state, the nation and the people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts”, he said.
Other blasts were reportedly heard in the Cikini, Silpi and Kuningan neighbourhoods, near the Pakistan and Turkish embassies.
The location of the attacks is significant because it shows a continuing terrorist ability to strike in the heart of the capital, Alifandi said.
Charliyan also said that after November’s attacks in Paris, authorities in Indonesia were warned that their country could also be targeted. In all seven people were killed, including an Indonesian and a Westerner, officials said.
Two Western hotels in Jakarta were bombed in 2009, and more than 200 people were killed in 2002 at a nightclub on the tourist island of Bali. Thursday’s perpetrators were from the same group, police said. A few minutes later, two more suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up as they rode toward police at a mall.
“Today’s attacks indicate that militants are again targeting commercial premises, particularly global brands that would provide terrorists’ with greater worldwide exposure”, he said.
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According to the deputy chief, the Indonesian police had received a threat from the group in December, promising to launch a “huge bomb concert” on New Year’s Eve, but was unable to do so because of the huge security presence.
