An Indonesian analyst believes Tuesday's terrorist attacks in Jakarta were the work of the United States.

Ichsanuddin Noorsy, an economic and political analyst often quoted in the Indonesian media, said the attacks were "probably the work of Uncle Sam," particularly the explosion that injured four people outside the office of Liberal Islamic Network co-founder Ulil Abshar Abdalla.

"The US wants to discredit an Islamic group that has undermined the puppet authority [government] and to build sympathy for a liberal group," he was quoted by Tribunnews.com as saying.

Police believe the three attacks were linked but Ichsanuddin was not asked why the two other intended victims were targeted.

Parcels addressed to Comr. Gen. Gories Mere, a former key officer of the National Police's elite counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, and Yapto Suryosumarno, chairman of the Pemuda Pancasila (Pancasila Youth) organization were intercepted and destroyed.

The claims of the type expressed by Ichsanuddin are common in the wake of terrorist attacks. After the devastating Bali bombing in 2002, claims were made – and believed by many – that the attacks were orchestrated by the CIA.

Wawan Purwanto, another analyst, said Ulil was most likely targeted because of his campaigning for religious tolerance and because he was a member of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.

"Ulil is a vocal campaigner for pluralism and religious harmony so in my view, the terror was triggered by personal motivations and the target was Ulil himself," Wawan said in a television interview.

Al Chaidar, a terrorism analyst from the University of Indonesia, said Ulil had been a target for a long time. "[Extremists] hate liberal thinkers and activists like him," he said.