Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has seen a recent resurgence in home grown militancy inspired in part by Islamic State. JAD is an umbrella organization on a US State Department “terrorist” list that is estimated to have drawn hundreds of Islamic State sympathizers in Indonesia. The church attacks were likely linked to the prison hostage standoff, Mr Purwanto said. A spokesman for Indonesia’s church association (PGI) called on the government for more help on security at churches. But there has been a resurgence of Islamist activity in recent years, some of it linked to the rise of Islamic State.

Source: The Irish Times May 13, 2018 09:33 UTC