Jakarta under terror attack; 4 attackers dead
At least seven people were killed in Jakarta due to gunfire and explosions close to the presidential palace and a UN office complex. Four of the attackers were also gunned down by the police. The scene was covered with police flooding the streets fearing that some militants were still on the run. 3 suicide bombers blew themselves inside a Starbucks coffee shop.
Indonesia saw a series of militant attacks in the 2000s, the most destructive of which was a nightclub bombardment on the holiday island of Bali that left 202 people dead, most of them tourists. The last major terror offensive in Jakarta was in July 2009, with twin bombs at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. Even since, Indonesia has been successfully destroying militant cells.
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, and the huge number of terror attacks have raised alarms that a number of terror groups are still operating within the country.
Indonesia has suffered attacks at the hands of Islamist militant groups in the past and has been on high alert since new year period due to threats from Islamic State (IS). Over the past few years, almost 150-200 Indonesians have gone to Syria to fight alongside the IS. Many have come back, raising alarms that they might be preparing an attack in Indonesia.
At least seven people were killed in Jakarta due to gunfire and explosions close to the presidential palace and a UN office complex. Four of the attackers were also gunned down by the police. The scene was covered with police flooding the streets fearing that some militants were still on the run. 3 suicide bombers blew themselves inside a Starbucks coffee shop.
Fearing more of such attacks, hundreds of policemen and armoured tanks rushed into the area, which is usually packed because of the Sarinah shopping complex and many cafes. Officials have begun minutely surveilling the area to take out any militants who are in hiding. Roads have been closed down and the nearby UN building has been on a lock-down.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemned the Jakarta blasts calling them "acts of terror". He asked the people to stay calm and not get terrorised and said the nation will not be defeated by such events. He said, "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".
