Two women injured in Semarang bomb blast

SEMARANG (JP): Two women were injured here on Tuesday after a bomb exploded in their Toyota Kijang van at the Christ Alva Omega Church on Jl. Gajah Mada.

Susana Hilda Riyanti, 50, the wife of preacher Timotius Subekti, suffered serious leg injuries while her 30-year-old daughter, Ferra, received minor injuries.

Susana was rushed to the Tlogorejo Hospital.

Witnesses said that Susana was still in the vehicle when the bomb exploded, while Ferra had just got out.

"Seconds after Ferra opened the car door a deafening explosion was heard," Yoga, a member of the church's congregation, said.

Quoting Ferra, Yoga said that two people on a motorcycle had been following her and threw something into the van as it was nearing the church.

Seconds after Ferra parked the van and got out of the vehicle, something exploded in the car.

Police officers arrived at the scene minutes later, but refused to make any statement about the incident.

Bombs exploded at two churches in Jakarta on July 22, leaving 70 people injured.

The first bomb exploded at Santa Anna Catholic church in the Navy residential complex in Suren Sawit, East Jakarta, at 7:05 a.m. on Sunday, while the second explosion shook the Huriah Kristen Batak Protestant (HKBP) church in the Army residential complex in Jatiwaringin, also in East Jakarta, five minutes later.

The church bombings evoked condemnation from various senior officials, including the then president Abdurrahman Wahid, People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais and House of Representative's speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Meanwhile in the West Java town of Cirebon, a suspected homemade bomb was found in the front yard of the At-Taqwa Mosque on Jl. R.A. Kartini, on Tuesday by the mosque caretaker.

Upon hearing about the finding, the police bomb squad was deployed to comb the area and defuse the bomb, Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Krido Sudibyo said, as quoted by Antara.

The officer said that the package contained a number of electronic components and gunpowder, but was unlikely to explode as it had not been properly assembled.

Certain threatening notes were also found with the package, such as "This is a fake bomb" and "Subsequent explosions could take place anywhere", the officer said.

The finding caused panic among locals but later in the day the tension gradually died down, the report said.

The case is being handled by Cirebon Police, pending further investigation. (har/sur)