police searching for perpetrators of bomb blasts

Police officers are still on the lookout for the perpetrators of the bombings targeting a police post and Starbucks cafe near the Sarinah departmental store at Thamrin Boulevard in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

"Casualties are confirmed in the bomb explosions in (near) Sarinah, but the exact number is not known. The perpetrators are still being chased," Senior Commissioner Mohammad Iqbal, a spokesman of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police, noted here, Thursday.

Some witnesses claimed to have seen bomb explosions and a shootout between the police and attackers that began at around 10:40 a.m. local time in the business center area in Central Jakarta.

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near a police post in the Jakarta Theatre Building at MH Thamrin Boulevard, according to an eye witness.

The Thamrin area is now being cordoned off as police officers are chasing some escaping suspected perpetrators.

Around six explosions were heard during the bombing attacks.

The first and second explosions occurred in the Starbucks coffee shop at around 10:40 a.m. and 10:53 a.m. local time, Tri Feranto, a security officer of Bank Mandiri building located near the site of the explosions, stated.

The third explosion took place near the police post and hit the three suicide bombers and a police officer, according to Tri.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth explosions took place at 11 a.m., 11:03 a.m. and 11:04 a.m. local time.

At least one civilian and a police officer were believed to have been killed in the bombing and shootout incidents.
Source: ANTARA