Bomb blast kills one, injures four<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): A woman was killed and four others
\ninjured here on Sunday afternoon when a bomb exploded near an
\nintersection on Jl. Syailendra.<\/p>\n
Details of the incident remain sketchy, but several witnesses
\nclaim the bomb was hurled from a passing motorcycle into a
\npedicab.<\/p>\n
However, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf said
\nin Jakarta the explosive device, believed to be a homemade bomb
\nwith a timer, was most likely placed on top of the pedicab
\nsometime before it went off.<\/p>\n
\"This happened near an Indonesian Protestant Church (GKPI) and
\nthe Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI). One woman, Hotinda
\nSihite, 22, died. She suffered severe head injuries since she was
\nonly five meters from the blast site,\" Saleh told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Sources in Medan identified the injured as teenagers Melda
\nBorumanik and Cacah Putri, both students at Herna Nursing School
\nHospital, K. Hutabarat and another teenage girl, F. Tina.<\/p>\n
They are currently being treated at Herna Hospital, located
\njust a few meters away from where the explosion occurred.<\/p>\n
The injuries are said to have been caused by nails which are
\nbelieved to have been inside the explosive device.<\/p>\n
Saleh said police were questioning three people in connection
\nwith the blast, but he refused to provide any further details.<\/p>\n
He added that the explosion occurred as a ceremony marking the
\n50th anniversary of the Indonesian Council of Churches (GKI) was
\nbeing held at Pardede Hall on Jl. Syailendra, just 20 meters away
\nfrom the blast site.<\/p>\n
Despite the explosion the ceremony continued as scheduled. The
\nchairman of the ceremony's organizing committee, JA Ferdinandus,
\nsaid there was no reason for a postponement.<\/p>\n
\"We believed that Pardede Hall was safe after being searched
\nby security officers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The explosion shattered windows in the hall and in several
\nother buildings located some 75 meters from the blast site.<\/p>\n
Medan Police chief Insp. Gen. Hotman Siagian called on
\nChristians not to be provoked by the incident, and hinted at the
\npossibility that the bombing was the work of people seeking to
\ntrigger sectarian violence in the territory.<\/p>\n
\"If you're asking about the blast, it's similar to the one
\nwhich occurred on Jl. Padang Bulan on May 28 this year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Saleh was referring to an explosion which rocked a GKPI church
\non May 28, injuring at least 47 people attending Sunday service.<\/p>\n
The officer said the blast at the church was believed to have
\nbeen caused by a homemade bomb.<\/p>\n
Three other bombs were planted in two churches in Medan last
\nMay, but they failed to explode, while an explosion destroyed a
\nrestaurant on Jl. Pemuda, injuring three pedestrians.<\/p>\n
In August, two separate bomb blasts occurred in the area near
\nJl. Bahagia in Medan Tenggara district. (04\/39\/ylt\/lup)<\/p>",
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