Yogyakarta, overnight terrorist attack in the heart of the city

The target was the headquarters of a bank, the BIS ATM, in the central Gejayan area also home to several universities, including two Catholic ones. The early morning explosion did not cause casualties or injuries. Police have arrested a suspected terrorist, and seized leaflets claiming responsability.

by Mathias Hariyadi

Yogyakarta (AsiaNews) - An explosion occurred last night in front of a bank in Yogyakarta (Central Java), in Affendi street in the central Gejayan district, the commercial heart of the city. The police found leaflets that accused the police and the army of being "real terrorists" and inciting to rebellion against the power, on the spot of the attack. "The state finance corporations, the police, the military are the real terrorists. There will be a popular revolt as long as the sun shines, " the leaflets found at the explosion read:" We declare that what we have done here is the culmination of our long major concern and our hatred against the running system exercised in the country. "

A resident of Yogaykarta, interviewed by AsiaNews, said that the police have arrested a potential "terrorist", but gave no further details on the arrest or the identity of the accused. The blast, which damaged the outside of the BRI ATM bank, occurred shortly after 2 am local time (9pm Italian time) did not cause casualties or injuries. Gejayan is one of the busiest districts in the center of Yogyakarta, and in particular with students. Several universities are located in the area, including the University of the Holy Dharma, run by the Jesuits, the University of Yogyakarta, the oldest and most famous of the universities the Gadjah Mada and the Catholic University of Atma Jaya Yogyakarta.

The police are interrogating the suspect author of the explosion, and have seized various types of material found on the site of the attack. According to investigators these unknown terrorists are targeting a system they perceive as "evil" and identify with the liberal economy, a society influenced by television, hedonism and consumerism.

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