MASKED GUNMEN OPEN FIRE ON CHOIR AS THEY PRACTISE FOR EASTER

INDONESIA

19 April 2004

Two masked men with M-16 assault rifles stormed into Tabernacle Church in Kilo Village, Poso, Central Sulawesi, Saturday 10 April, spraying automatic gunfire at the choir and injuring seven.

When they heard the shots, those in the church fell to the ground behind pews for protection. None of the injured, who included a four-year-old girl, were in imminent danger on Sunday, according to hospital staff.

Police say the gunmen entered the church after the late service on Saturday evening. A third man remained outside with their motorcycle. All three men wore black uniforms.

This attack is one of many that have been carried out this year in the region of Poso despite the increased use of security forces in this troubled area.

BACKGROUND

Between 1999 and 2001 anti-Christian violence in the area around Poso claimed some 2000 lives. It ended with the Malino Peace Accord in December 2001, but sporadic violence has continued ever since. Analysts say that several of the recent attacks are being carried out by a particularly violent local Islamic group called Mujahideen Kompak. They are a subgroup of the militant Islamist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) that operates in many countries of South-East Asia with the aim of setting up an “Islamic Super-State” under the rule of shari’a (Islamic law). JI were responsible for the Bali bombings and for the church bombings on Christmas Eve 2000 which killed 18 Christians celebrating Christmas.

PRAY

* Pray for the protection of Christians in Poso. * Pray for restraint and non-violent responses by Christians. * Pray for the recovery of those injured in this attack.

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