skip to main content

At least 11 dead in bomb attacks on Indonesian churches

The scene of one of today's bomb attacks at a church in Surabaya
The scene of one of today's bomb attacks at a church in Surabaya

Suicide bombers have killed at least 11 people and wounded 40 in attacks on Christians attending Sunday morning services at three churches in Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya, officials have said.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, has seen a recent resurgence in homegrown militancy inspired in part by so-called Islamic State.

East Java police said explosions took place in three churches and at least 11 had died and 40 had been taken to hospital.

Officials said a family of six was behind the attacks.

"The husband drove the car, an Avanza, that contained explosives and rammed it into the gate in front of that church," East Java police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera told reporters. 

The wife and two daughters were involved in the attack on a second church and at the third church "two other children rode the motorbike and had the bomb across their laps", Mr Mangera said. 

The two daughters were aged 12 and 9 while the other two, thought to be the man's sons, were 18 and 16. 

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences

Police blamed the bombings on the Islamic State-inspired group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). 

JAD is an umbrella organisation on a US State Department terrorist list that is estimated to have drawn hundreds of Islamic State sympathisers in Indonesia. 

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, in a message carried on its Amaq news agency. 

"This act is barbaric and beyond the limits of humanity, causing victims among members of society, the police and even innocent children," President Joko Widodo said during a visit to the scene of the attacks. 

Indonesian terrorism analyst Rakyan Adibrata said it was the first time children had been involved in attacks in the country.