Source: BBC
A series of explosions has rocked the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, with gun battles on the streets.
The blasts were centred around Thamrin Street, a major shopping and business district close to foreign embassies and the United Nations offices.
Police say the situation is now under control, with five suspected attackers among at least seven people killed.
So-called Islamic State (IS) said it carried out the attacks, a news agency linked to the militant group said.
Separately, Indonesian police said they suspected a local group allied to IS was to blame.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo described the attacks as an “act of terror”.
“We all are grieving for the fallen victims of this incident, but we also condemn the act that has disturbed the security and peace and spread terror among our people,” he said.
Images from Jakarta have shown several bodies lying on the road outside a cafe, as well as seriously injured people being carried away.
Details remain unclear, but at least one of the blasts hit a Starbucks cafe and a police security post.
It appears the gunmen then holed up in the Djakarta Theater, part of the complex that houses the Starbucks.
Armed police, snipers and armoured vehicles were deployed on the streets of the capital.
Gunfire broke out after police arrived at the cafe – there were several further explosions and reports of police chasing suspects. Sporadic gunfire was reported for several hours afterwards.
A UN official, Jeremy Douglas, told the BBC he was about 150m (450ft) away from one of the first blasts near the UN’s building.
“Then we ran into the building. We heard a third explosion. We got up to our office on the tenth floor and we heard a fourth, a fifth and a sixth.”
Islamist attacks in Indonesia
Indonesia has suffered militant attacks in the past, but has been relatively successful in curbing home-grown Islamist extremism after a spate of attacks in the last decade. Some of the deadliest include:
- July 2009: Seven people killed and dozens wounded when two suicide bombers target Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta
- Oct 2005: Suicide attacks in Bali leave 23 dead, including the bombers
- Sept 2004: Bomb outside Australian embassy in Jakarta kills at least nine people
- Aug 2003: Bomb at Jakarta’s Marriott Hotel kills 12
- Oct 2002: Bali bombings kill 202, including 88 Australians
- Dec 2000: Church bombings across the country kill 19
A few hours later, police said four attackers had been killed, then shortly after revised the number to five, including a foreigner.
National Police Deputy Chief Commander Gen Budi Gunawan said two had been killed in a shootout outside a theatre and two others blew themselves up at the police post in front of Starbucks.
Police spokesman Col Muhammad Iqbal said the situation was “under control”, with no suspects hiding inside the shopping centre.
Categories: Asia, Indonesia, Terrorism, The Muslim Times
Extremist Muslims are dangerous for human. They kill innocent people. The killers have been brainwashed by Extremist Scholars.
Very sad, heartbreaking and embarrassing to as we are Muslim. This is real Muslim problem, only educated Muslim can solve this problem.
The root problem is origin from the book of Hadith. Those who do not pledge to Caliph of ISIS will be punished and killed.
Rasulullah SAW said : ” If two people inducted Caliph , then kill the last of the leader, Muslim,
Hopefully, the leader of Muslim Ahmadiyah can declare this Hadith is against Al Quran, against humanity and should be removed from the book of Hadith.
Was salam