Seven Dead in IS Militants' Attack in Indonesia; Viewed as Pattern of a Global War Waged by IS

Suspected allied militants of the Islamic State (IS) carried out a brazen attack in central Jakarta today (January 14, 2016), setting off explosions and engaging in a running gun battle in the heart of the Indonesian capital. Five of the attackers and two others were confirmed dead, while nearly two dozen people were injured, according to the Washington Post website.

The mayhem follows swiftly on the heels of Islamic State-linked attacks in Istanbul, Paris, and San Bernardino, California -- a sign of the global reach of the radical Islamic organization.

The Jakarta police chief, Tito Karnavian, told reporters that the Islamic State was "definitely" behind the attack. The strike -- which targeted a major business and shopping district -- involved multiple suicide bombings, including at a Starbucks, and a 15-minute exchange of fire between gunmen and security forces. Officials say the tactics closely mirrored those of the coordinated bombings and shooting spree carried out in Paris in November.

Indonesia is the home of the world's largest population of Muslims, and there have been increasing fears of Islamic State-style extremism taking root in the archipelago nation.