A bomb found in front of church

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Central Sulawesi Police found a low- explosive bomb on Saturday in front of a church in Maleali subdistrict, Parigi Moutong regency, Central Sulawesi.

The 20 x 40 centimeter green package that contained the bomb was found by a passerby who reported it to a local policeman.

Believing the package an active bomb, the policeman informed the Central Sulawesi bomb squad.

The bomb squad defused the bomb and brought it to Parigi Moutong Police headquarters. Police are investigating the case.

Parigi Moutong is some 100 kilometers north of Poso regency, where a sectarian conflict erupted in 2000.

About 2,000 Muslim and Christian residents were killed during the sectarian conflict, which ended with a government-sponsored peace pact in 2002, but sporadic attacks continued throughout 2003. -- Antara