Jakarta bombing: Attackers linked to Islamic State, police say

[lostinblue 1,989]

Jakarta bombing: Attackers, civilians killed in blasts in Indonesian capital linked to Islamic State, police say

Updated January 14, 2016 22:06:49

Five attackers, including two suicide bombers, are dead after a terrorist attack in central Jakarta linked to Islamic State, Indonesian police say.

A foreign national and a police officer were also believed to have died, taking the death toll to seven, Deputy National Police Chief Budi Gunawan said.

Jakarta's Police Chief Tito Karnavian confirmed the deadly blasts were linked to Islamic State.

Seven people were killed including five attackers, one Indonesian and one Canadian, he added.

Seven explosions rocked the area, including one at a Starbucks cafe in the city centre, near a cluster of embassies and the United Nations offices.

Authorities said the policeman was killed in a suicide attack on a police booth on the median strip of one of Jakarta's busiest roads, before shots were fired at bystanders.

External Link: Tweets from ABC reporters at the scene

Two attackers were killed in a shootout with police, while two others were suicide bombers, Mr Gunawan said.

Jakarta police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said that the situation was now under control.

Police spokesman Iqbal Kabid said a gunfight between the attackers and police took place in a cinema that is in the same building as a Starbucks cafe.

Bodies were seen lying in the streets as security forces moved in, with reports of gunfire and warnings of snipers in the area.

Police earlier said the blasts were caused by grenades, not bombs.

Todd Elliot, a terrorism expert in Jakarta, said his police sources indicated none of the attacks were suicide bombers, contrary to other reports.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the blasts were "acts of terror".

"Our nation and our people should not be afraid, we will not be defeated by these acts of terror, I hope the public stay calm," he told MetroTV.

"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."

Police said they believed the attack was inspired by Islamic State and that the attackers were connected to a terror cell that was disrupted just before Christmas.

External Link: Witness films moment of Jakarta explosion

National intelligence agency chief Sutiyoso said there were no indications Islamic State militants were behind the attack but said "this is definitely terrorism".

One witness filmed the moment one of the blasts took place, in a car park out the front a commercial building.

Indonesian media reported at least one of the explosions was caused by a suicide bomber.

The ABC's South-East Asia correspondent Samantha Hawley said armoured trucks, the head of intelligence and bomb squad officers had joined police at the scene of the blasts.

Earlier, officers at the scene told AFP news agency reporters to "get back" because there "is a sniper" on the roof of a building.

What we know:

• Several initial blasts struck central Jakarta shortly before 3:00pm AEDT
• Police say attack linked to Islamic State
• Bombs were thrown at a popular Starbucks cafe, then a suicide bombing at a police checkpoint
• Blasts struck outside the Sarinah shopping centre and the UN's country office
• Shots were fired outside Starbucks as security forces moved in
• Police say five suspected attackers are dead, including two suicide bombers
• Police Chief also confirmed one Indonesian and one Canadian have also been killed
• Police said the attackers were part of the terror cell from Solo and in communication with Syria

Editor-in-chief of the Jakarta Post, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, said the targeted area was quite popular.

"It's less than one-and-a-half kilometres to the palace, it's basically where the centre of government is," he said.

"Five hundred metres away is the central bank building, you have multiple government buildings, major, major centre of government area."

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said officials in Indonesia were making enquiries to determine whether Australians had been involved in the attacks.

Ms Bishop said the Australian Government condemned the attacks, and that she had spoken to her Indonesian counterpart and offered any support the country may need to respond to the attacks.

Attorney-General George Brandis issued a statement saying the "Government has offered law enforcement and intelligence assistance to Indonesia" following the attacks.

Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, Paul Grigson, tweeted: "All Australians should stay clear of these areas, limit their movements and follow the instructions of local authorities."

External Link: Malcolm Turnbull tweet

Prime Ministers Malcolm Turnbull tweeted: "Australians' thoughts, prayers and resolute solidarity are with the people of Indonesia as they respond to the terrorist attacks."

United Nations regional representative Jeremy Douglas, speaking to the ABC from the UN office in Jakarta, said the building was in lockdown.

He said he had been in a car when the first blast went off.

"We got out of the car and we heard a second bomb. Then we heard a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth and then gunfire in the street. A lot of gunfire," he said.

Some other buildings in the area were also evacuated.

Starbucks said all of its stores in Jakarta would remain closed until further notice.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-14/jakarta-bombing-suspected-civilian-terrorists-dead-after-attack/7089218

[Jacque67 7,328]

Thank goodness some of us here don't sleep!

[ExPatty 502]

They are spreading allah's message of peace, love, mercy.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

They aren't real Muslims

[smilesammich 10,727]

you guys need to come up with some new material.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

you guys need to come up with some new material.

I agree I will get right on that

[Darnell 8,478]

cool ! No Australians damaged during the melee...

[ExPatty 502]

you guys need to come up with some new material.

When muslims stop killing people I will stop mocking muslims for killing people.

[smilesammich 10,727]

When muslims stop killing people I will stop mocking muslims for killing people.

lol. is that what you think you're doing, 'mocking muslims for killing people'?

[ExPatty 502]

lol. is that what you think you're doing, 'mocking muslims for killing people'?

Not sure what else you'd call my third post. To be clear, it was sarcasm.

[smilesammich 10,727]

Not sure what else you'd call my third post. To be clear, it was sarcasm.

was it sarcasm? not very well done. not at all. i mean, after the first 1,000 times..

it goes like this..

article posted at vj regarding scary islam

usual suspects:

not a real muslim

allah is great

ah, another from the religion of peace and love

find new slogans.

[ExPatty 502]

was it sarcasm? not very well done. not at all. i mean, after the first 1,000 times..

it goes like this..

article posted at vj regarding scary islam

usual suspects:

not a real muslim

allah is great

ah, another from the religion of peace and love

find new slogans.

haha, you're exactly right. But I don't see what the problem is, though. As I said, when muslims stop killing people to honor their child-raping, slaver prophet I will stop mocking their barbaric acts as honoring him.

[smilesammich 10,727]

haha, you're exactly right. But I don't see what the problem is, though. As I said, when muslims stop killing people to honor their child-raping, slaver prophet I will stop mocking their barbaric acts as honoring him.

see i think its a bit more. i think some folks really thrive when they have a group to focus all of their anger toward. you, and everyone else here, know that all muslms are not the evil creatures you make them all out to be. why not focus your anger and hate on the attackers, on isis, on people of all faiths who do horrible things in the name of 'god' or whatever? is it because that isn't as easy? not as funny (to you)? doesn't it bother you that there are muslims on this site (a bunch actually) and you're disrespecting them every time you repeat your "sarcasm" - or does that bring you some personal satisfaction?

[ExPatty 502]

see i think its a bit more. i think some folks really thrive when they have a group to focus all of their anger toward. you, and everyone else here, know that all muslms are not the evil creatures you make them all out to be. why not focus your anger and hate on the attackers, on isis, on people of all faiths who do horrible things in the name of 'god' or whatever? is it because that isn't as easy? not as funny (to you)? doesn't it bother you that there are muslims on this site (a bunch actually) and you're disrespecting them every time you repeat your "sarcasm" - or does that bring you some personal satisfaction?

Terrorism seems to be killing a lot of people. Most of it is islamic in nature. I don't blame muslims when I run out of gas, but I do blame them for most of the world's terrorism, because they caused it. Just as I know not all muslims are evil creatures you also know that most terrorists are muslims--and yes, they are real muslims.

You don't want to look deeper and figure out why isis exists, why people would attack and kill huge scores of people. I do, and the common thread seems to be their religion.

I don't respect islam whatsoever, so no I cannot feel bad that people may feel upset over what I say about it, because everything I say about it pulls back constantly, doggedly from statistics. The reason I an others mock these terrorists is because it is so easy to do. A baying crowd of barbarians throw a man off a house because he's gay. They all chant how great allah is as he falls to his death and continue to do so as they stone his body. Then some orwellian westerner gleefully exclaims what they did has nothing do with islam. It's so silly. I will always call them out on it.

[smilesammich 10,727]

Terrorism seems to be killing a lot of people. Most of it is islamic in nature. I don't blame muslims when I run out of gas, but I do blame them for most of the world's terrorism, because they caused it. Just as I know not all muslims are evil creatures you also know that most terrorists are muslims--and yes, they are real muslims.

You don't want to look deeper and figure out why isis exists, why people would attack and kill huge scores of people. I do, and the common thread seems to be their religion.

I don't respect islam whatsoever, so no I cannot feel bad that people may feel upset over what I say about it, because everything I say about it pulls back constantly, doggedly from statistics. The reason I an others mock these terrorists is because it is so easy to do. A baying crowd of barbarians throw a man off a house because he's gay. They all chant how great allah is as he falls to his death and continue to do so as they stone his body. Then some orwellian westerner gleefully exclaims what they did has nothing do with islam. It's so silly. I will always call them out on it.

bold - please refrain from telling me what i want to know about. we've come to different answers to the 'why isis exists' question, not 'you want to know, i don't, you have investigated, i don't, and you've figured it out. you've got an opinion. so do i.

anyway, so you don't respect islam. we agree there because i don't respect religion. difference between me and you though is, is that i have a basic respect for people. get that? religion = no respect, religious people = worthy of respect, so long as they're not doing terrible things in the name of their religion. and there are muslims on this site that are worthy of your respect. but you're not interesting in making that allowance.

your response to me is basically, you're righteous in disrespecting muslims across the board because of the actions of some muslims. and i'm not trying to get thread banned again so i won't say what the definition of that is but..connect the dots.