Jakarta (VNA) – Major cities and regions in Indonesia, includingJakarta capital, Riau islands, East Java and Bali island, have raised theirsecurity alert status to the highest level after a series of bomb attacks onMay 13, while new bombings were reported in East Java.
After a series of consecutive bombings hit three Christianchurches in Surabaya, East Javaprovince, leaving at least 13 deaths and over 40 others wounded, two more bombings occurred also in East Javaon late May 13 and early May 14.
The latest bombing targetedthe police headquarters inSurabaya city on May 14 morning, injuring several police officers.
Meanwhile, a bomb explosion happened in an apartment buildingin East Java’s Sidoarjo town on May 13 evening, which killed a mother and her17-year-old son.
Local news portal Kumparan reported the father, identified asAnton, was holding the trigger to a bomb when police arrived. He was shot deadbefore he could detonate.
The three other children of the same family were rushed to alocal hospital for treatment.
Indonesia police announcedon late May 13 that the bombings at threeChristian churches were conducted by a family of six, including fourchildren aged 9 to 18.
Speaking withreporters at the regional police headquarters in Surabaya city, East Javapolice spokesman Frans Burung Mangera said the family had links to theself-claimed Islamic State (IS) and were among 500 Islamic sympathisers who hadreturned from Syria.
Indonesiangovernment believed that IS-related terror group JAD was responsible for thebombings. Meanwhile, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks through its Amaqnews agency.-VNA