Anti-terrorism police in Indonesia have made three arrests after the attack in the capital Jakarta on Thursday that left seven people dead including
Anti-terrorism police in Indonesia have made three arrests after the attack in the capital Jakarta on Thursday that left seven people dead including five of the assailants.
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It’s understood they were detained in connection with a separate incident and the authorities are now trying to establish a suspected link with the attacks.
Earlier Islamic State militants said they were responsible.
Police think that is the case but say the situation regarding Islamic State militants in the region is complicated.
“The IS cell in southeast Asia includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and other countries.” said Jakarta Police Chief Tito Karnavian. “ In southeast Asia there’s a militant named Bahrun Naim who wants to be the leader in the region. All leaders of IS in southeast Asia are competing to be the leader. That’s why Bahrun Naim plotted this attack.”
The authorities suspect Bahrun Naim is in the Syrian city of Raqqa which is under ISIS control.
An Indonesian and a Canadian were killed along with five of the attackers who were involved in an exchange of gunfire with the security forces.
From the center of the Indonesian capital #Jakarta pic.twitter.com/PJoPKypQLv
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) January 14, 2016
It took around three hours to bring the situation under control and declare the area safe.