Conflict
Crisis/Conflict/Terrorism
Indonesia church attacks: Police identify man and wife who orchestrated the Surabaya bombings

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 14 May 2018, 07:27 am Print

Indonesia church attacks: Police identify man and wife who orchestrated the Surabaya bombings

Jakarta: Indonesian police have revealed the names of the man and his wife from the family of six, who were involved in the bombings of three churches in the country's second city of Surabaya, on Sunday.

The attack which killed at least 13 and injured 40, was orchestrated by Dita Oepriarto and his wife Puji Kuswati.

Officials have identified Oepriarto as the head of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an Indonesian IS-inspired network.

The family was one among hundreds in Indonesia, who had returned from Syria and has observed the IS occupation there.

The mother and the daughters, who had bombs strapped to them, attacked the Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church.

The daughters were aged 9 and 12, while the sons were 16 and 18 years old, respectively.

They reportedly rode motorcycles while attacking Santa Maria Catholic Church. 

Meanwhile, AFP news agency reported that a bomb explosion at an apartment complex in Surabaya killed at least three people.

It is still not known if the bomb explosion at the apartment was related to the earlier attacks.


Fresh attack on Monday

In another incident, at least four assailants carried out a suicide attack at a police headquarters in Surabaya on Monday.

According to East Java police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera, the police are yet to determine the identity of the attackers. Earlier in the day, the number of attackers were place at two.

At least 10 people were injured, local officials said.

A young girl, who was with the group, was rushed to a hospital.

 

Image: Screengrab from YouTube