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Indonesia church attacks: at least nine dead after bombs target Sunday masses | Indonesia church attacks: at least nine dead after bombs target Sunday masses |
(35 minutes later) | |
At least nine people have been killed and 40 others injured in bomb attacks, including a suicide blast, targeting churches in Indonesia’s second biggest city, Surabaya. | At least nine people have been killed and 40 others injured in bomb attacks, including a suicide blast, targeting churches in Indonesia’s second biggest city, Surabaya. |
The attacks in the predominantly Muslim country came days after police ended a riot and hostage-taking at a detention center near Jakarta that left five dead and five injured. | The attacks in the predominantly Muslim country came days after police ended a riot and hostage-taking at a detention center near Jakarta that left five dead and five injured. |
“There have been three attacks at three churches,” Frans Barung Mangera, a spokesman for East Java police said. | “There have been three attacks at three churches,” Frans Barung Mangera, a spokesman for East Java police said. |
The blasts all occurred within 10 minutes of each other, police said, with the first explosion at 7.30am (0030 GMT). | The blasts all occurred within 10 minutes of each other, police said, with the first explosion at 7.30am (0030 GMT). |
Police only gave details of the attack on Santa Maria catholic church, but images have emerged of devastation at a Pentecostal church. | |
Nine people were reported to have been killed and Mangera said at least 40 were being treated in hospital. | Nine people were reported to have been killed and Mangera said at least 40 were being treated in hospital. |
“There is one location where we can’t enter yet,” Mangera told reporters near the scene of one of the bombings. | “There is one location where we can’t enter yet,” Mangera told reporters near the scene of one of the bombings. |
Television footage showed one church where the yard in front appeared engulfed in fire, with thick, black smoke billowing up. A large blast was heard hours after the attacks, which Mangera said was a bomb disposal squad “securing” a remaining device. | Television footage showed one church where the yard in front appeared engulfed in fire, with thick, black smoke billowing up. A large blast was heard hours after the attacks, which Mangera said was a bomb disposal squad “securing” a remaining device. |
There have been no claims of responsibility, but Wawan Purwanto, communication director at Indonesia’s intelligence agency said Islamic State-inspired group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) was believed to be behind the bombings. | |
JAD is an umbrella organisation on a US State Department “terrorist” list that is estimated to have drawn hundreds of Islamic State sympathisers in Indonesia. | |
The attacks come days after militant Islamist prisoners killed five members of an elite counter-terrorism force during a 36-hour standoff at a high security jail on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta. | |
The church attacks were likely linked to the prison hostage standoff, Purwanto said. | |
“The main target is still security authorities, but we can say that there are alternative [targets] if the main targets are blocked,” he said. | |
Breaking: Video showing one of the Surabaya attackers riding a motorcycle into the grounds of a church and detonating a bomb. pic.twitter.com/X0DBrHB4p9 | |
Police ordered the temporary closure of all churches in Surabaya on Sunday, and a large food festival in the city was cancelled. | |
Indonesia is home to significant numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists but there are concerns over rising intolerance. | Indonesia is home to significant numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists but there are concerns over rising intolerance. |
Extremists have mounted a series of attacks against Christians and other minorities in recent years. | Extremists have mounted a series of attacks against Christians and other minorities in recent years. |
Indonesian police shot and wounded a man who attacked a church congregation in Sleman town with a sword during Sunday Mass in February. The radical Islamist, who had wanted to fight with the Islamic State group in Syria, injured four people. | Indonesian police shot and wounded a man who attacked a church congregation in Sleman town with a sword during Sunday Mass in February. The radical Islamist, who had wanted to fight with the Islamic State group in Syria, injured four people. |
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report. | |
Indonesia | Indonesia |
Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
news | news |
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