Police say IS funded activities of Jakarta group

If confirmed to be the work of Katibah Nusantara, which is made up primarily of Malay-speaking Indonesians and Malaysians, it would mark the first violence in Southeast Asia by the group.

The Indonesian government has defended itself against criticism of its preparedness to handle terror threats, following deadly attacks in Jakarta on Thursday.

Earlier Friday, police said the attack was funded by the Islamic State group.

The IS link, if proved, poses a challenge to Indonesian security forces. At the same time, two militants attacked a police traffic post nearby, using what he described as hand grenade-like bombs.

An Indonesian and a Canadian were killed in the attack.

Amid the raids more details have emerged about the brazen assault, with police confirming a suicide bomber struck a Starbucks cafe and officially releasing the identities of the attackers and their victims. He did not elaborate.

There is also the Mujahidin of Eastern Indonesia, based in Poso on the island of Sulawesi – whose commander, Santoso (who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name), leads a band of about 30 armed men, including several ethnic Uighurs.

Police have told an Indonesian TV channel that they have arrested three men on suspicion of links to the attack in Jakarta. Police did not identify the customer but said he or she suffered minor injuries.

National police spokesman Maj.

Just seven people were killed in Jakarta despite multiple blasts and a gunfight, and five of them were the attackers themselves, but the brazenness of the assault suggested a new brand of militancy in a country where low-level strikes on police are common. Charliyan said three men arrested at dawn in their homes in Depok on the outskirts of Jakarta are no longer suspected of being linked to the attack. Aside from the already identified Sunakin and Muhammad Ali, the attackers were Ahmad Muhazan Saron, who exploded a suicide bomb inside the Starbucks cafe, and Dian Joni Kurniadi.

Police still are on high alert, Haiti said, in part because police have intercepted encoded messages about a possible attack.

People in Jakarta have responded defiantly to the attacks in their city by posting the Indonesian phrase for “We are not afraid” on Twitter.

“One or two months ago, areas around Senayan and Hotel Indonesia were warned”, Ryamizard said as quoted by tempo.co. Indonesians were shaken but refusing to be cowed a day aft…

Following the Paris terror attacks in November, he published a post on his personal blog – now unavailable – praising them and noted a number of “lessons” he said could be learned, including the way the terror cells in Europe were united and how orderly their operations were.

“Whatever they did, they have killed life”, said Muji Sutrisno, a noted Indonesian intellectual.

Terrorism experts say IS supporters in Indonesia are drawn from the remnants of Jemaah Islamiyah.

“A large LCD screen atop the building containing the Starbucks displayed messages saying “#prayforjakarta” and “Indonesia Unite”.

Employees survey the damage at the Starbucks cafe where an attack occurred on Thursday, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

Indonesia’s president has visited the scene of Thursday’s deadly attack in Jakarta’s business district.

An activist in a Darth Vader costume holds a poster during a rally condemning Thursday’s attack, outside the Starbucks cafe where it took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

Workers clean up outside the Starbucks cafe where an attack occurred on Thursday, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.