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| Indonesian police arrest three suspects over links to Jakarta attacks | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Indonesian police have arrested three men on suspicion of links to multiple bomb and gun attacks that turned downtown Jakarta into a conflict zone for three hours on Thursday, leaving seven people dead. | Indonesian police have arrested three men on suspicion of links to multiple bomb and gun attacks that turned downtown Jakarta into a conflict zone for three hours on Thursday, leaving seven people dead. |
| Related: Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta | Related: Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta |
| The assault was claimed by Islamic State, an al-Qaida faction that splintered in Iraq and has since spread worldwide. It was the first time the extremist organisation has successfully targeted the world’s most populous Muslim nation. | The assault was claimed by Islamic State, an al-Qaida faction that splintered in Iraq and has since spread worldwide. It was the first time the extremist organisation has successfully targeted the world’s most populous Muslim nation. |
| Police chief Colonel Dwiyono, from the Depok area south of the capital, told Indonesia’s MetroTV the men were arrested at dawn at their homes while they were sleeping. The channel broadcast footage of the handcuffed men being escorted out by police to be questioned. | Police chief Colonel Dwiyono, from the Depok area south of the capital, told Indonesia’s MetroTV the men were arrested at dawn at their homes while they were sleeping. The channel broadcast footage of the handcuffed men being escorted out by police to be questioned. |
| Jakarta’s police chief, Tito Karnavian, said on Friday Indonesia needed to strengthen its response and implement preventive measures to battle the new threat. | Jakarta’s police chief, Tito Karnavian, said on Friday Indonesia needed to strengthen its response and implement preventive measures to battle the new threat. |
| “We need to pay very serious attention to the rise of Isis,” he told reporters outside the city’s oldest department store, Sarinah, the site of the attacks. “We hope our counterparts in other countries can work together because it is not home-grown terrorism, it is part of the Isis network,” he said. | “We need to pay very serious attention to the rise of Isis,” he told reporters outside the city’s oldest department store, Sarinah, the site of the attacks. “We hope our counterparts in other countries can work together because it is not home-grown terrorism, it is part of the Isis network,” he said. |
| However, Karnavian pointed to an Indonesian militant, Bahrun Naim, who he said was the ringleader and mastermind of the strike. | However, Karnavian pointed to an Indonesian militant, Bahrun Naim, who he said was the ringleader and mastermind of the strike. |
| “We were informed by intelligence that an individual named Bahrun Naim ... instructed his cells in Indonesia to mount an attack,” Karnavian said. “His vision is to unite all Isis supporting elements in south-east Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.” | “We were informed by intelligence that an individual named Bahrun Naim ... instructed his cells in Indonesia to mount an attack,” Karnavian said. “His vision is to unite all Isis supporting elements in south-east Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.” |
| Naim, believed to be in his early 30s and associated with domestic Islamist militant groups in Indonesia, is thought to be in the Syrian city of Raqqa with Isis. | Naim, believed to be in his early 30s and associated with domestic Islamist militant groups in Indonesia, is thought to be in the Syrian city of Raqqa with Isis. |
| Naim, from Pekalongan in Central Java, was convicted in June 2011 of illegal possession of ammunition although the court found insufficient evidence to pursue terrorism charges. | Naim, from Pekalongan in Central Java, was convicted in June 2011 of illegal possession of ammunition although the court found insufficient evidence to pursue terrorism charges. |
| Police say he is a key figure in planning attacks in Indonesia, several of which authorities said were foiled in 2015. | Police say he is a key figure in planning attacks in Indonesia, several of which authorities said were foiled in 2015. |
| Indonesia-based security analysts noted Thursday’s strikes – several waves of suicide bomb and handgun attacks – appeared incompetently carried out, given the low death toll. By midday on Thursday, police said five assailants were dead. The gunmen had killed a police officer and a dual Canadian-Algerian citizen, police said. | Indonesia-based security analysts noted Thursday’s strikes – several waves of suicide bomb and handgun attacks – appeared incompetently carried out, given the low death toll. By midday on Thursday, police said five assailants were dead. The gunmen had killed a police officer and a dual Canadian-Algerian citizen, police said. |
| Isis said four, not five, attackers had planted several bombs with timers, had worn suicide belts and carried light weaponry. | Isis said four, not five, attackers had planted several bombs with timers, had worn suicide belts and carried light weaponry. |
| “A group of soldiers of the caliphate in Indonesia targeted a gathering from the crusader alliance,” it said in a statement. | “A group of soldiers of the caliphate in Indonesia targeted a gathering from the crusader alliance,” it said in a statement. |
| Related: Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta | Related: Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta |
| The attack rattled the region, which has a deep history of militancy. Governments have waged largely successful campaigns against domestic groups in recent years but are struggling to cope with the increasingly global campaign of Isis. | The attack rattled the region, which has a deep history of militancy. Governments have waged largely successful campaigns against domestic groups in recent years but are struggling to cope with the increasingly global campaign of Isis. |
| In the wake of the attacks, the military in the Philippines went on “heightened alert” and security was increased at train and bus stations as well as airports and malls. Four small Islamist militant groups in the country’s south have recently pledged allegiance to Isis. | In the wake of the attacks, the military in the Philippines went on “heightened alert” and security was increased at train and bus stations as well as airports and malls. Four small Islamist militant groups in the country’s south have recently pledged allegiance to Isis. |
| In Malaysia, police also beefed up security in public places. The inspector-general of police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, said in a statement Malaysia was now on “alert to the highest degree”, according the the Malaysia Insider. | In Malaysia, police also beefed up security in public places. The inspector-general of police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, said in a statement Malaysia was now on “alert to the highest degree”, according the the Malaysia Insider. |
| Late on Thursday, Indonesians visited the site of the attacks, a Starbucks and a traffic police outpost, leaving flowers and prayers. | Late on Thursday, Indonesians visited the site of the attacks, a Starbucks and a traffic police outpost, leaving flowers and prayers. |
| A Dutch man working for the UN remains critically injured. The chief of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the agency the man works for, said his colleague was “fighting for his life”. | A Dutch man working for the UN remains critically injured. The chief of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the agency the man works for, said his colleague was “fighting for his life”. |
| The unnamed man was described by the organisation as a renowned expert in forestry and was working with the Indonesian government to tackle peat land fires, an annual man-made environmental catastrophe that blankets much of south-east Asia in smoke. | The unnamed man was described by the organisation as a renowned expert in forestry and was working with the Indonesian government to tackle peat land fires, an annual man-made environmental catastrophe that blankets much of south-east Asia in smoke. |
| The UNEP’s chief, Achim Steiner, said the organisation “condemns in the strongest possible terms these senseless acts of terror”. | The UNEP’s chief, Achim Steiner, said the organisation “condemns in the strongest possible terms these senseless acts of terror”. |
| Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report | Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report |