At least 3 dead in explosions, shooting in Jakarta

A series of explosions rocked downtown Jakarta in front of a popular shopping mall on Thursday and an Associated Press reporter saw at least one dead body. Reuters reported that at least three people were killed.

Gunshots were heard after the midmorning explosion in front of the Sarinah shopping mall and a police station. The area also has many luxury hotels, and offices and embassies, including the French.

It was not clear who was shooting but police had cordoned off the area, preventing reporters from going near the scene.

A U.N. regional representative in Jakarta, Jeremy Douglas, tweeted that a massive explosion in front of the U.N. office in the Indonesian capital was followed by at six other blasts and gunfire. He said police and broadcasting announcements for people to stay away from windows.

A bank security guard told the Associated Press he saw at least five attackers, including three suicide bombers who exploded themselves in a Starbucks cafe.

Tri Seranto said he saw the three men entering Starbucks and saw them blowing themselves up one by one. He said the other two attackers, carrying handguns, entered a police post from where he heard gunfire. He later saw one policeman dead and three seriously injured.

Seranto said the two gunmen ran away with police chasing them.

Indonesian network TVOne reported at least three more explosions in the Cikni, Silpi and Kuningan neighborhoods, near the Turkish and Pakistani embassies.

Indonesia has been a victim of several bombing attacks in the past, claimed by Islamic militant groups.