News analysis

Coordinated strikes in Surabaya signal rising level of tactical skills

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The coordinated attacks in Surabaya, with their mix of military-grade explosives, and women and children being used as cover for suicide bombings, suggest a rising level of tactical sophistication in Indonesia's terrorists.

And if the initial analysis by the police that the Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) is behind the recent attacks is accurate, then the local terrorist network has truly raised its game.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 16, 2018, with the headline Coordinated strikes in Surabaya signal rising level of tactical skills. Subscribe