CRI听力:Life in Jakarta Starts to Return to Normality after Thursday's Attacks

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has made a stop at some of the businesses affected by Thursday's attacks.

After speaking to business owners in Jakarta's oldest shopping mall, Widodo suggests life in the shopping district is back to its daily routine.

"I've seen and spoken to people in the mall. Everything seems to be returned to normal, the shops, the food stalls. When I asked them they said they were scared yesterday but now everything is back to normal, that's important."

Widodo is moving to try to ensure calm and confidence in Indonesia after five armed gunmen set off a bomb inside a coffee shop on Thursday in central Jakarta, then engaged in a 2-hour shootout with police before either blowing themselves up or being shot dead.

In the end, all five attackers were killed, as well as two civilians.

Twenty others were injured in Thursday's attack, which authorities believe was sponsored by an Indonesian member of the Islamic State who is currently fighting with the group in Syria.

There are concerns the attack may have an impact on Indonesia's tourism industry, which is a major driver of the nation's economy.

However, Indonesia's Tourism Minister, as well as many of the tourists currently in the country, say they believe the impact of Thursday's attacks will be limited.

"I think it's ok because many many police and commander, it's good, I think.. maybe... but we don't know where is again bomb."
"A little scared but honestly there's probably more police out there right now so I think, if anything, I'm probably safer now, just got to be careful, stay low, avoid tourist areas, I think I'll be ok."

It's also been announced Princess Astrid of Belgium will also go ahead with plans to visit Indonesia in March.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country in the world.

As such, authorities there are very diligent about extremist elements taking hold.

Indonesian Intelligence chief Sutiyoso admits the Islamic State does have a presence in the country.

"BIN (Indonesia's National Intelligence Agency) has already been given signals for possible terrorists attacks since November 2015. I'll give an example which the media knows about already: information that more than a hundred ex-combatants in Syria, with the capability to strike, as well as about 423 former convicted terrorists - in the country. We also have been monitoring some activities on military training which have been done by radical groups. We can say that the presence of ISIS in Indonesia is real."

Thursday's attack is believed to be the first by the Islamic State in Indonesia.

The day after the attack, newspapers across the country carried bold front-page headlines declaring Indonesia is united in condemnation of the attack, which is the first in the country since 2009.

Three men with suspected links to the attackers were also arrested on Friday.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.