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| Isis claims responsibility for Jakarta gun and bomb attacks | Isis claims responsibility for Jakarta gun and bomb attacks |
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| Up to seven blasts and several gunfights took place in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on Thursday in an apparently coordinated attack claimed by Islamic State (Isis). | |
| Related: Jakarta attack the latest step in Islamic State's global expansion plans | Related: Jakarta attack the latest step in Islamic State's global expansion plans |
| The attacks left seven people dead – a police officer, a Canadian man and five of the attackers. 17 people were wounded, including a Dutch man who was critically injured who had been working for the UN’s environment programme. | |
| It took security forces about three hours to end the siege near a Starbucks cafe and Sarinah’s, Jakarta’s oldest department store, after a team of about seven militants traded gunfire with police before blowing themselves up. | It took security forces about three hours to end the siege near a Starbucks cafe and Sarinah’s, Jakarta’s oldest department store, after a team of about seven militants traded gunfire with police before blowing themselves up. |
| After the initial shootout two attackers appeared from behind a crowd. One then produced a handgun and shot an officer, while his accomplice fired on another. Both gunmen were shot dead shortly afterwards. Two more attackers died after blowing themselves up in the Starbucks car park. Bodies – of hostages and terrorists – lay in the street. | After the initial shootout two attackers appeared from behind a crowd. One then produced a handgun and shot an officer, while his accomplice fired on another. Both gunmen were shot dead shortly afterwards. Two more attackers died after blowing themselves up in the Starbucks car park. Bodies – of hostages and terrorists – lay in the street. |
| Indonesian police said the attackers had taken inspiration from November’s atrocity in Paris, which left 130 dead. But the terrorist cell that struck in Jakarta appeared to lack military training and inflicted comparatively little damage. | Indonesian police said the attackers had taken inspiration from November’s atrocity in Paris, which left 130 dead. But the terrorist cell that struck in Jakarta appeared to lack military training and inflicted comparatively little damage. |
| Jakarta’s police chief, Tito Karnavian, said an Indonesian national, Bahrun Naim, who is believed to be in Syria, was “planning this for a while. He is behind this attack”. | Jakarta’s police chief, Tito Karnavian, said an Indonesian national, Bahrun Naim, who is believed to be in Syria, was “planning this for a while. He is behind this attack”. |
| The Isis-linked Aamaq news agency had said earlier on its Telegram channel that the group had carried out the attack targeting “foreigners and the security forces tasked with protecting them in the Indonesian capital”. The Isis claim, posted to Twitter accounts, said “soldiers of the caliphate in Indonesia” had carried out the attack. | The Isis-linked Aamaq news agency had said earlier on its Telegram channel that the group had carried out the attack targeting “foreigners and the security forces tasked with protecting them in the Indonesian capital”. The Isis claim, posted to Twitter accounts, said “soldiers of the caliphate in Indonesia” had carried out the attack. |
| The local Metro TV said up to 14 gunmen were involved in the attack, which started at about 10.30am local time (2.30am GMT). Police declared the attack over shortly after 3pm (8am GMT). | The local Metro TV said up to 14 gunmen were involved in the attack, which started at about 10.30am local time (2.30am GMT). Police declared the attack over shortly after 3pm (8am GMT). |
| Risky Julianti, 25, a sales promoter at the Sarinah mall, had just arrived at work and was changing into her uniform when the first explosion happened. She said she heard at least five more blasts and saw three people dead. “The building was shaking heavily when the blast happened. An office boy shouted ‘bomb, bomb’ and we quickly ran out to a church nearby,” she told the Guardian. | Risky Julianti, 25, a sales promoter at the Sarinah mall, had just arrived at work and was changing into her uniform when the first explosion happened. She said she heard at least five more blasts and saw three people dead. “The building was shaking heavily when the blast happened. An office boy shouted ‘bomb, bomb’ and we quickly ran out to a church nearby,” she told the Guardian. |
| “I was very panicked and I was crying. We heard the blasts as we were running to the church.” | “I was very panicked and I was crying. We heard the blasts as we were running to the church.” |
| A UN regional representative, Jeremy Douglas, said he was getting out of his car by the UN office when a “massive bomb” detonated. | A UN regional representative, Jeremy Douglas, said he was getting out of his car by the UN office when a “massive bomb” detonated. |
| “Chaos and we’re going into lockdown,” he said on Twitter. “Apparent suicide bomber literally 100m from the office and my hotel. Now gunfire,” he added, saying that he heard six explosions and then a gunfight. | “Chaos and we’re going into lockdown,” he said on Twitter. “Apparent suicide bomber literally 100m from the office and my hotel. Now gunfire,” he added, saying that he heard six explosions and then a gunfight. |
| Serious exchange of fire in downtown #Jakarta. Didn't experience this in 3.5 years in #Pakistan | Serious exchange of fire in downtown #Jakarta. Didn't experience this in 3.5 years in #Pakistan |
| Edward Rees, a UN worker based in Pakistan who was visiting Jakarta, told the Guardian his colleagues in Jakarta heard the explosion. “They are holed up in the office awaiting instructions.” | Edward Rees, a UN worker based in Pakistan who was visiting Jakarta, told the Guardian his colleagues in Jakarta heard the explosion. “They are holed up in the office awaiting instructions.” |
| Helicopters circled above and armoured vehicles entered the area – an upscale neighbourhood of luxury hotels and embassies – cordoned off by the police. | Helicopters circled above and armoured vehicles entered the area – an upscale neighbourhood of luxury hotels and embassies – cordoned off by the police. |
| “We have previously received a threat from Islamic State that Indonesia will be the spotlight,” a police spokesman, Anton Charliyan, said. | “We have previously received a threat from Islamic State that Indonesia will be the spotlight,” a police spokesman, Anton Charliyan, said. |
| Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, said in a statement on national TV that the situation was under control and called on people to remain calm. “The state, nation and people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts,” he said. | Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, said in a statement on national TV that the situation was under control and called on people to remain calm. “The state, nation and people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts,” he said. |
| It is estimated that 500 to 700 Indonesians have joined Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and the government has expressed concern their return home could presage attacks. Separatist groups also operate in the country. Karnavian, the police chief, said those responsible were all Indonesian men from from West Java, Central Java, Sulawesi and the greater Jakarta area. | It is estimated that 500 to 700 Indonesians have joined Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and the government has expressed concern their return home could presage attacks. Separatist groups also operate in the country. Karnavian, the police chief, said those responsible were all Indonesian men from from West Java, Central Java, Sulawesi and the greater Jakarta area. |
| Related: Jakarta: jihadi manuals and intelligence tip-offs pointed to rising terror threat | Related: Jakarta: jihadi manuals and intelligence tip-offs pointed to rising terror threat |
| Yohanes Sulaiman, a lecturer and political analyst at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, said Indonesian police might have missed the plot “because this is a new cell, probably radicalised young men and then exposed to Isis propaganda”. | Yohanes Sulaiman, a lecturer and political analyst at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, said Indonesian police might have missed the plot “because this is a new cell, probably radicalised young men and then exposed to Isis propaganda”. |
| He speculated that the attackers came from a newly created organisation as the assault was “amateurish because their target is unclear and, if reports are right, they are supposed to get in the mall but stopped, asked to go to the police post, then opened fire”. | He speculated that the attackers came from a newly created organisation as the assault was “amateurish because their target is unclear and, if reports are right, they are supposed to get in the mall but stopped, asked to go to the police post, then opened fire”. |
| Indonesia suffered its deadliest attack in 2002, when 202 people were killed in three bomb attacks in Bali, a tourist hotspot. Several members of Jemaah Islamiyeh, an Islamist militia, were convicted. | Indonesia suffered its deadliest attack in 2002, when 202 people were killed in three bomb attacks in Bali, a tourist hotspot. Several members of Jemaah Islamiyeh, an Islamist militia, were convicted. |
| Several big bombings followed until 2009 when the extremist groups’ operations were undermined by the authorities. The emergence of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has raised concerns that the networks will be reinforced. There have been increasingly frequent bomb threats over the last year. | Several big bombings followed until 2009 when the extremist groups’ operations were undermined by the authorities. The emergence of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has raised concerns that the networks will be reinforced. There have been increasingly frequent bomb threats over the last year. |
| Police said they uncovered a major plot by arresting several men linked to planned suicide bombings in the capital on New Year’s Eve. Raids across several cities led to the seizure of bomb-making materials and a flag similar to that of Islamic State. Up to 150,000 police and soldiers were deployed across the country on the last day of the year. | Police said they uncovered a major plot by arresting several men linked to planned suicide bombings in the capital on New Year’s Eve. Raids across several cities led to the seizure of bomb-making materials and a flag similar to that of Islamic State. Up to 150,000 police and soldiers were deployed across the country on the last day of the year. |
| As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesian organisations – religious and otherwise – have stepped up campaigns to fight the spread of violent extremism. | As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesian organisations – religious and otherwise – have stepped up campaigns to fight the spread of violent extremism. |
| Malaysia and the Philippines have also focused resources on battling Islamic State, which hopes to spread its influence through partnering with domestic militias. | Malaysia and the Philippines have also focused resources on battling Islamic State, which hopes to spread its influence through partnering with domestic militias. |