One dead after explosions rock central Jakarta

In a brazen midday assault, a team of well-armed militants detonated explosives and opened fire Thursday in the heart of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

However, they later said that the situation was “under control” after five militants were killed, including a foreigner.

In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson from the department said the Canadian government is working with Indonesian authorities to confirm the identity of the victim.

Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Stephane Dion, in a statement offered “thoughts and deepest sympathies” to those affected.

At least 19 people were injured in the terrorists attacks in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday.

How many attackers were there?

Security in the Southeast Asian country had been heightened around Christmas and the new year amid fears of attacks by extremists.

1231 – Police said they believed two suspected perpetrators fled in the direction of West Jakarta.

Jakarta police chief Tito Karnavian also said the so-called Islamic State group was “definitely” behind the attack.

There have so far been no claims of responsibility, but one analyst likened the timed attacks to the Paris massacre where gunmen struck several locations at the same time.

One policeman was left dead and three others were seriously injured by the gunmen, who fled the scene.

Three suicide bombers have blown themselves up at a Starbucks in Jakarta as explosions were heard throughout the Indonesian city.

Up to a dozen attackers may be involved in the attacks that police said mimicked the Paris attacks on November 13 that killed 130 people.

“Amidst reports of attacks targeting police posts throughout central Jakarta, initial reports are that an explosion took place close to our store in the Skyline building near one of these police posts”.

The country saw a spate of militant attacks in the 2000s, the deadliest of which was a nightclub bombing on the holiday island of Bali that killed 202 people, majority tourists.

CNN affiliate CNN Indonesia reported that a police station appears to have been the target of the attacks.

Authorities also said they found a large, undetonated bomb and five smaller devices in a building near the Starbucks cafe after the attack.

Speaking about the attacks, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said: “This act is clearly aimed at disturbing public order and spreading terror among people. It’s basically right smack dab in the central business area”, Jeremy Douglas, who works in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Jakarta, told CNN.

1435 – Police said they suspected at least three suicide bombers.

Last month, anti-terror police arrested nine men and said the group had wanted to “perform a “concert” to attract global news coverage of their existence here”.

Police spokesman Anton Charliyan said: “We have previously received a threat from Islamic State that Indonesia will be the spotlight”.