With its strong Muslim majority, Indonesia has become a place of fear for residents and tourists alike following the surprise bombings in Jakarta

 

Speaking after the all-too-familiar terrorist attacks that took place this week in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, released a statement regarding the tragic circumstances:

‘I was horrified to hear of the terrorist attacks in Jakarta this morning. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. The UK utterly condemns these senseless acts of violence.  We will continue to provide support and assistance to the Government of Indonesia as they work to defeat those who plan and perpetrate these acts of terror.

We advise British Nationals in Jakarta and elsewhere in Indonesia to maintain vigilance and monitor FCO travel advice, local media and to follow the advice of local security authorities’.

Killing at least four civilians as well as five militant attackers, Wednesday night’s terrorist activity was reportedly masterminded by Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian extremist. Believed to now be in Syria, Naim had been ‘planning this for a while’ according to the Indonesian head of police.

One of over 600 Southeast Asians fighting in Syria, Naim’s presence in the war-torn country has shed light — and subsequently many questions — on the influence of ISIS in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

Twelve people have since been arrested in connection with Wednesday’s attack.

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ISIS Terrorism