Police pursue 3rd suspect in church attack

Police pursue 3rd suspect in church attack

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police are pursuing another suspect in relation to the Petra
church bombing on Friday and are continuing to question two men
arrested immediately after the explosion, the Jakarta Police
spokesman said on Saturday.

The two suspects, Wahyu Handoko and Ujang Arif, said they were
members of the mujahedin group Kompak, Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul
Alam said. They claimed that the group took part in the
destruction of churches in Maluku in 1999.

Aside from a bomb thrown from outside the church on Jl. Jampea
in North Jakarta, police also found three other homemade bombs in
the possession of one of the suspects.

"In their statement, they said they were displeased with the
prayer session being held for the people of Maluku at the church
that night," Anton told The Jakarta Post.

The incident took place at about 8 p.m. when some 300 people
were attending "Maluku Prays", a prayer for peace in Maluku,
which has been tormented by religious conflict since 1999.

No one was injured in the explosion, which shattered one
window. Nails contained within the bomb damaged part of the
church's roof, church official Vicky Montung said.

The church will resume normal activities on Sunday, and church
officials said they were confident about security at the church.

The Sunday service will take place at its regular times of 7
a.m., 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The church's male members have been
taking turns providing security in the area around the church,
Vicky said.

"We're sure nothing more is going to happen and the damage was
not serious," Vicky told the Post, adding that the church would
proceed with a wedding blessing on Saturday evening, as
previously planned.

Following the explosion, members of the church's congregation
have been calling to inquire about the church's plans and its
condition, Vicky said, adding that they agreed that the church's
activities should not be halted.

"Security by male members of the church was their idea ... but
we don't think the patrols should last too long. For us, this
matter is closed," Vicky said, adding that the church was pleased
with the police's immediate arrest of the suspects.