ISIS Claims Responsibility For Terror Attacks That Killed 2 In Jakarta, Indonesia

The terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in the center of Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday, CNN reported Friday. The attack killed two people and wounded 24, which raised fear among the individuals in the country about the spread of terrorism in South East Asia.

General Tito Karnavia, chief of the Jakarta Provincial Police, said that the perpetrators of the attack were linked to the Islamic State in Syria and warned about the group's operation expansion across the region. General Karnavia added that the expansion would include Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

According to the New York Times report on Wednesday, the suspect was identified as Bahrun Naim, leader of the Katibah al Nusantara which is military unit of the Islamic State operating in Southeast Asia.

"He created cells or a branch of ISIS named Katibah al Nusantara. His vision is to join, to unite all ISIS supporting elements in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines," Chief Karnavia said.

The attack had left ruins and scenes of destruction in Jakarta. Several people expressed their condolences to the victims by placing wreaths and tributes in the nearby police outpost. Some also protested by writing the slogan #KamiTidakTakut, or "We are not afraid," as a means of expressing their conviction to fight against terrorism.

In the past month, at least 16 suspects of terrorism were arrested in Indonesia. The recent attack was perceived to be the first major attack in Indonesia's capital city since the simultaneous bombing of two hotels in 2009. Moreover, Naim was reported to have been apprehended by the authorities in 2010 for unlawful possession of ammunition. He was sentenced to prison for at least two and a half years.

Researchers from Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said that "the growing reach of Katibah Nusantara could lead to its expanding influence in Islamic State's decision-making process, in turn leading I.S. [to give] greater priority to Southeast Asia as its war zone."