Jakarta, Indonesia
At least two people were killed and several injured in a suspected suicide bomb blast at an Indonesian police station on Wednesday. Among those killed is a police officer. According to reports, a man riding a motorcycle and carrying a knife blew himself up after entering a police station in West Javaâs Bandung city. As per the Indonesian police head Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the suicide bomber had previously been imprisoned on terrorism-related charges and is allegedly linked with the Islamic State-inspired organisation Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD).
The police chief confirmed that the attacker, identified as Agus Sujatno, was released in late 2021 and investigators had found dozens of documents decrying the country's controversial new criminal code at the crime scene. A blue motorbike was found at the scene that they believe was used by the perpetrator, West Java police chief Suntana had earlier told Metro TV.
A note that condemned the new criminal code as "an infidel product" was attached to the bike, according to Suntana.
The incident was allegedly being planned for some time and was likely a result of an ideological opposition to the nation's new laws, according to Todd Elliott, a senior security analyst at Concord Consulting in Jakarta.
Six police officers and a civilian were injured in the attack and rushed to a nearby hospital.
The police suspect this to be a case of terrorism and have sought help from the counter-terrorism unit to investigate the incident, Ahmad Ramadhan, head of the public information bureau for the National Police, said.
Lola media reported damage to the entrance of the Astana Anyar police station, and roads closed in the area and smoke rising from the scene. Videos surfaced on social media showed heavy police presence at the site.
Terdengar Bunyi Ledakan di Polsek Astana Anyar, Kota Bandung.
? Istimewa #ledakan #breakingnews #bandung #astanaanyar pic.twitter.com/JxFuiglOmW
â Digo Indonesia (@digoindo) December 7, 2022
âIt is true that today at 8.20 am (local time), there is a suspected suicide bombing at the Astana Anyar police station, in Bandung,â he said in a YouTube broadcast.
Though no one has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, officials believe that the Islamic State-inspired Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist group may have been behind the attack.
Ibnu Suhendra of Indonesiaâs counterterrorism agency (BNPT) told Metro TV that the JAD has carried out similar attacks in Indonesia in the past.
Indonesia created a tough new anti-terrorism law in 2019, after suicide bombings linked to JAD.
Last year, two attackers, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, had blown themselves up outside a packed Roman Catholic cathedral during a Palm Sunday Mass on Indonesiaâs Sulawesi island.
(With inputs from agencies)
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