Bombing Of Three Churches In Surabaya In History Today, May 14, 2018

President Joko Widodo and his staff review the site of the bombing (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today, May 14, 2018 or 3 years ago a suicide bombing erupted in three churches in Surabaya. The act of terror was carried out by one family (their father, mother, children). The incident then brought deep sadness to the people of Indonesia.

The string of suicide bombings involving the core family is fairly new. They are believed to be part of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) which pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Therefore, the news of this event is also in the world spotlight.

Bombs exploded at three churches in close proximity. One family involved include Dita Oepriarto (husband), Puji Kuswati (wife), and their children with the initials Famela Rizqita, Fadhila Sari, Firman Alim, and Yusuf Fadhil.

The first explosion occurred at Santa Maria Catholic Church at 06:30 WIB. The church located at Jalan Ngangel Madya 01 Surabaya was targeted by Firman Alim and Yusuf Fadhil. The two deliberately rode motorcycles and made their way into the courtyard of Santa Maria Church. Right in the churchyard they carried out a suicide bombing. As a result two perpetrators and five people were killed.

The second explosion occurred at the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) on Jalan Diponegoro Surabaya at 07:15 WIB. The perpetrator of the bombing was Puji Kuswati who took her two daughters Famela Rizqita and Fadhila Sari. As a result of this incident one person was killed, namely the perpetrator of the terror itself. No one else was killed in GKI.

Finally, the bomb was detonated by Dita Oeprianto at the Central Pentecostal Church in Surabaya at 07:53 WIB. Dita headed to the location after dropping off his wife and two daughters at GKI on Jalan Diponegoro. The suicide bombing by DIta was then carried out by crashing the car she was driving into the church. In that incident, Dita and seven others were killed.

Jad founder surprised

In total, the family bomb killed 18 people. Six of the perpetrators and 12 from the general public, respectively. The next day, Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expressed his condolences. Jokowi claimed that there was no thought if one family blew themselves up in front of the church.

"I sometimes don't think much of it. Yesterday I saw firsthand, (the location of) the bombers in three locations. Two small (red-girl) children aged 9 years and 11 years. Given a bomb belt escorted by his father and came down with his mother and then blew himself up in front of the church," Jokowi said.

Not only Jokowi. Jad's own founder and advisor, Aman Abdurrahman was also shocked by the horror of the Surabaya bombing. According to Aman, Action bringing families to jihad is unlikely to emerge from a common sense person. The bombing called Aman was a heinous act.

"The incident of two mothers leading their children to continue blowing themselves up in a church parking lot is an unlikely act to emerge from people understanding the teachings of Islam and the guidance of jihad, it is not even possible to emerge from a reasonable person. Similarly, the incident (surabaya bomb at the police station) a father who took his little boy and blew himself up in front of the police station, gadarullah the child bounced and thank God the child bounced still alive. This is a heinous act under the pretext of jihad and reckoning," Aman was quoted as saying by Tempo Magazine (2021).

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