US Ambassador: We Didn't Have Advance Warning on Jakarta Attacks

Liputan6.com, Jakarta The United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O'Blake Jr went to clarify earlier claims about his country having prior knowledge regarding the attacks in Sarinah, Thamrin Jakarta.

The U.S embassy had previously issued a statement the day when the incident occurred confirming that it is untrue that they knew beforehand regarding the attacks which led to the deaths of two civilians and injuring dozens.

However, an official statement of Ambassador Blake was deemed neccesary as suspicions grew day by day among Indonesia's general population over the likeliness of the U.S prior knowledge.

This is based on the premise that the U.S had sent an email to U.S citizens, informing them to "avoid the area around Sari Pan Pacific and Sarinah Plaza" because "preliminary reports indicate and explosion and gunfire has occured."

"No, we didn't have any advance warning on the attacks," said Ambassador Blake on January 18 2016.

Earlier claims grew due to the fact that the email showed the time of message sent being at 06.51 am.

"We put out information approximately 45 minutes after the attack", he clarified.

Indonesian Intelligence Agency Chief Sutiyoso similarly denied such widespread speculation and went to confirm that no one was aware of the undertaking of such action.

“What has been generally accepted by the population is wrong. Nobody knows about the attack,” he clarified on Friday 15 January 2016.

He further assures that it is true that nobody saw it coming as the agency is also aided by foreign intelligence that are currently being stationed here in Indonesia. This is a form of cooperation they have been doing for quite some time and therefore, Sutiyoso reassures population that it is not true and that if it is then other countries representatives would have yielded such information beforehand.

"Three representatives from CIA here in Indonesia. So no that information is not true,” he continued clarifying.

According to him, his institution has been monitoring ISIL in Indonesia since November 2015 due to potentiality of attacks.

“Potential terrorist attacks have already been detected since November 2015. We have previously informed that around 100 combatants bound for Indonesia, as many as 432 ex- terrorist convicts have been set free and therefore a training conducted by the radical group was due to occur,” explained Sutiyoso.

On January 14 2016, a group of terrorists conducted a series of terror act in Sarinah, Thamrin of Indonesia's capital Jakarta. Suicide bombings and exchange of fires between assailants and law enforcers took place in the afternoon which led to the death of three innocent civilians and injuring dozen others. All four terrorists also died from the suicide bombing and shootout with local police force.