Indonesia arrests 12 linked to Jakarta attack, identifies suicide bombers

Police officers escorts a man (C, with a cap) who was arrested during a raid in the Langgen village in Tegal, Indonesia Central Java, January 15, 2016 in this photo taken by Antara Foto.[Photo/Agencies]

JAKARTA - The Indonesian police have arrested 12 people allegedly linked with Thursday's suicide bombing at the capital that killed seven people including five and injured 20 others, and identified five bombers on Saturday, senior police officers said here.

The police has found an evidence that the gun and bomb attacks at a police station and a Starbucks coffee shop at the hearth of Jakarta was financed by the IS group, National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti disclosed.

"One of those arrested has received a transfer of fund from the IS group to finance the operation," General Badrodin told a press conference at the police headquarters.

"During the hunting from Thursday evening until today (Saturday), a dozen of people linked with the bombings, have been arrested," said Badrodin.

"The 12 persons arrested are from West Java, Central Java and East Kalimantan," he said.

The arrested persons are grouped in a terrorist cell led by Bahrun Naim who claims himself as the IS leader in Southeast Asia, Badrodin disclosed.

As many as nice pieces of weapons, five mobile phones and one motorcycle have been seized during the raids to arrest the 12 people, he said.

Jakarta police released the identity of five bombers who were killed during the suicide bombings and gun attacks on Thursday, said Musyafak, Jakarta police medical officer.

The IS group is blamed for Thursday's tragedy at the capital, according to Jakarta Police Inspector General Chief Tito Karnavian.

The suicide bombings occurred after the police got warning from the Islamic States or IS that it would launch strikes in Indonesia, Brigadier General Anton Charliyan, national police spokesman has said.

Indonesian Security Chief Minister Luhut Panjaitan has said that Indonesia has been put by the IS group on target, which led the security authority to put the country on top alert of the danger.

As many as 800 Indonesians have joined the IS group in Syria and Iraq and they have already returned to Indonesia, said Said Agil Siraj, chairman of Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization l Ulema.