Jakarta police chief Tito Karnavian said Islamist militant group Islamic State is "definitely" behind the attack. He said Indonesian Islamic State fighter Bahrun Naim, who is believed to be in Syria, was "planning this for awhile. He is behind this attack."
At 4.40pm Thursday (Singapore time), nearly six hours after the morning blasts, Jakarta police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said the attack was over and no more perpertators were at large. "At the moment the situation is under control," he said.
The blasts, at around 10.30am (Singapore time) were close to a shopping centre, the Sarinah, where victims' bodies were seen strewn on the ground. One blast was in a Starbucks cafe and security forces were later seen entering the building. A gun-battle broke out between the attackers and anti-terror police squads. About two hours later, another explosion was heard from a cafe near the Starbucks, about five minutes after 25 anti-terror policemen entered it. It was not clear if the explosion was a controlled detonation or a bomb. There were unconfirmed media reports of explosions in other parts of Jakarta.Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is on a working visit in West Java town of Cirebon, has ordered security forces to hunt down the perpetrators and their network behind the attacks in Jakarta."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 said on TV station 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."
Jakarta police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal added that five police personnel, one foreign civilian and four Indonesian civilians were injured, he said. Starbucks said one customer sustained injuries and was treated on the scene while all employees are confirmed to be safe.
Media reported that a Dutch person and another foreigner were among the casualties but it was not clear if they were dead or wounded. There were at least six explosions this morning and a police post was damaged. "This is a bomb," National police spokesman Anton Charliyan told AFP.
Earlier in the day, helicopters were circling the area, which had been cordoned off. Officers at the scene had told AFP reporters to "get back" because there "is a sniper" on the roof of a building. Heavily armed police evacuated a badly injured man who was lying on the road bleeding heavily.
Eyewitness Tri Seranto, a bank security guard, told The Associated Press he saw at least five attackers, including three who triggered explosions at the Starbucks. It was not immediately clear if they exploded bombs or grenades. Mr Tri described them as suicide bombers but General Anton Charilyan denied they blew themselves up.
He said the attack involved an unknown number of assailants with grenades and guns, at least one on a motorcycle.
Mr Tri said he was out on the street when he saw the three men entering Starbucks. He said the other two attackers, carrying handguns, entered a police post from where he heard gunfire.
"I saw a police officer shot right in front of me," one witness told TV One. Shots were fired outside a cafe as police moved in, an AFP journalist at the scene said. "For now the gunfire has stopped but they are still on the run, we are afraid there will be more gunshots," Mr Charliyan said.
ATTACKS WERE IN BUSY AREA
The shooting happened outside a Starbucks opposite the shopping centre, which is in an area that also has many luxury hotels, embassies and offices. Thamrin Street is a major thoroughfare in central Jakarta. The Istana Negara presidential palace is about 2km up the road.
Some of the explosions happened across from Sarinah department store, one of the first department stores in Jakarta. In the same shopping plaza is a McDonalds and other Western-style restaurants.
The shopping centre is popular among Indonesians and foreigners alike.
The Starbucks, across the street and on a corner, is in front of Jakarta Theater, a Pizza Hut and an office building. The Pan-Pacific Hotel is also on the same block. Across the street is the United Nations office, and not much further up the block are government offices.
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