Jakarta attacks - At least 6 killed in bombings and shootings

Jakarta attacks - At least 6 killed in bombings and shootings

A police officer, at least five civilians and four militants were killed when gunmen carried out a series of apparently coordinated attacks in arms and explosives in the heart of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. There has been so far no claim of responsibility, but one analyst compared the synchronized attacks to slaughter Paris where ISIS hit several places at once.

Witnesses reported five explosions, including near a Starbucks around 10:40 am and in front of the Sarinah shopping center. Both are in the middle of a business district normally buzz in this city of 9 million. "When I heard the first explosion, I do not know if it was a bomb," Aditya, bank worker in a building near the scene of the attacks, who goes by one name. "I went out and saw smoke in front of Starbucks and two people lying on the floor in a pool of blood. I was told to go back by the police." Then I saw a gunman opened fire before fleeing the scene, killing one person in a white shirt.

General Anton Charliyan, a spokesman for the Indonesian National Police, said the attack involved an unknown number of assailants with grenades and firearms, at least one of which was on a motorcycle. He said no suicide bombers were involved. General Anton said police had received information in late November on a warning that the militant group Islamic State "will be a concert" in Indonesia, which means an attack.

"In front of that building, in that intersection, the UN building is for you to imagine that this particular Starbucks is frequently visited by US diplomats, French diplomats and many other diplomats including UN officials." Since the attacks, Starbucks has said it will close all its outlets in Jakarta until further notice.