Indonesia: Jakarta suicide bombers linked to Islamic State /update 2

Event

On Thursday, May 25, police officials announced that the two suicide bombers who carried out the attack in East Jakarta on Wednesday, May 24, had ties to the Islamic State (IS) through the group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). According to the authorities, the explosives used in Wednesday’s bombing are similar to the type used in an attack in Bandung in February 2017. Officials believe that police officers may have been the target of the attack since additional officers were deployed in the area to guard a rally marking the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Investigations into the bombing are ongoing; police carried out a raid on the home of one of the suspected bombers on May 25.

Context

The bombing took place at a bus station in the Kampung Melayu area of East Jakarta on the night of May 24. According to media reports, the first explosion occurred at approximately 21:00 (local time), followed by a second blast five to ten minutes later. Officials confirmed that three police officers were killed and 12 other people wounded in the blasts.

According to various Western intelligence security assessments, there is a high threat from terrorism in Indonesia. The National Police and the Counter terrorism unit have arrested dozens of individuals on terror charges across the country in the past year. Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and intent to carry out these attacks at anytime and anywhere in the country.

Advice

Individuals in Jakarta are advised to avoid the area around the explosion site, monitor the situation, remain vigilant, and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.