Churchgoers devastated by Sunday bomb incident

Churchgoers devastated by Sunday bomb incident

JAKARTA (JP): As the priest delivered a sermon on peace at
Santa Anna Church in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, on Sunday, a bomb
exploded under one of the pews in the back of the church.

The blast injured at least 70 people. The victims included a
seven-month-old infant, a four-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy
who suffered grievous injuries to his hip, a 19-year-old woman
who suffered severe burns and is in critical condition, a
61-year-old nun and a number of others who suffered broken bones.

The blast also shattered most of the windows in the church and
damaged a portion of its ceiling and most of its pews.

"We were listening to the priest talking about the meaning of
peace and living in peace .... One minute we were listening, the
next minute there was this very loud blast ... at about 7 a.m.,"
Herman, who was in the congregation, said about two hours after
the blast.

At almost the same time, the congregation at the Jatiwaringin
Batak Christian Protestant Church was shocked by a bomb that
exploded inside an empty minivan parked outside the church. The
vehicle was destroyed and a child was slightly injured.

"The (Santa Anna) blast stunned everybody in the church ....
Rev. Surya Suryatmaja stopped preaching. There was so much
screaming. People were shouting 'Help Me! Help me!' The church
went dark. There was black smoke all around," Herman said.

"We didn't know where the smoke was coming from. People who
were not on the floor crying or helping someone in the dark ran
out of the church. It was terrible."

Seven-month-old Stefani and two-year-old Puteri were treated
for their injuries at Saint Carolus Hospital and released. The
distraught father of 11-year-old Aubert Conelly is still waiting
for news on his son, who underwent surgery for injuries he
received when his hip was pierced by splinters of wood torn off
by the blast from the pew he was sitting on.

Aubert's mother, Victoriana Diana Arsita Dewi, is also
receiving treatment for serious head injuries she received in the
blast.

Another victim, Mrs. Yopi, said she had been praying when the
bomb exploded.

"There was blood and even in the dark you could see the small
marks or holes in people's legs from the blast. I was so
confused ... for a second I didn't know where I was. I just ran
out of there," she said.

Police officers found pieces of tiny steel pellets, known as
gotri, near both crime scenes, indicating that both bombs had
been packed with the pellets.

"Gotri pierces the skin and tears everything apart inside," an
officer said.

Victim Theresia Tri Suhartati, 24, who suffered severe wounds
to both her legs, said she saw something falling from the ceiling
and then there was a "huge explosion".

"Right after the explosion, I could not hear or see. I thought
I had gone blind. Even now I still can't see clearly," Theresia
told The Jakarta Post.

A couple who were planning on getting married soon were
shocked when the man looked down and saw that his legs were
"destroyed".

According to hospital records, seven victims are still in the
surgery ward of Saint Carolus Hospital in Central Jakarta, while
four others are in the surgery ward of Mitra Keluarga Hospital in
East Jakarta.

Political leaders, including People's Consultative Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais, Alvin Lie, Fuad Bawazier and A.M. Fatwa, who
visited Santa Anna Church at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday were verbally
attacked by local residents and churchgoers.

"You people engage in conflicts and we have to suffer. Because
of you small children and adults who know nothing about your
politics were hurt," a person shouted from the crowd.

"How could you come here and just talk! Do you even realize
what happened ... ? This is a church that was bombed," another
person cried out. (ylt/prb/rsl/06)