Indonesian Muslims targeted Church on Good Friday

I wish everyone a fruitful and blessed Good Friday as we comemmorate the Passion and Death or our Lord Jesus Christ. I am blest to have my brethren in Indonesia who were never cowed by Islamic terrorism threat. You are our modern "Living Saints" for standing for our Catholic faith. With your witnessing, the Church of Christ is bringing the Good News to all who seek for it, and God willing, they may come to realize that we are all invited to the Light of Christ.-CD2000

"Just like the siege of that church in Iraq on All Saints Day, and that bombing of that Coptic church in Alexandria at Christmas.

Muslims may not really understand much about Christianity, but they know when the churches are full.

Not only are the churches likely to be full at Easter time, but what could be more destructive than attacking Christian's on their highest Holy Days? What could more demoralize them than murdering them at a time that signifies resurrection, hope, and new beginnings?

What horror." -A Comment from Jihad Watch

Jakarta, Indonesia (CBS News) - Nineteen terror suspects were arrested in Indonesia Thursday in relation to a bomb that was found buried next to a church outside the capital city of Jakarta.

Police discovered the 330-pound explosive underneath a gas pipeline. Officials said they believe Islamic militants had timed the bomb to go off during Good Friday.

"The army and police are under high alert," Senior security minister Djoko Suyanto told reporters. He added that troops would be deployed at churches and other strategic locations.

"We want to guarantee safety," he said.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. The country has been battling Muslim extremists since 2002.

Central Java Police Chief: Temanggung Riot Not Related to Religion

A statue of Jesus Christ is left smashed on the floor of a

church that was attacked by Muslim hardliners in Temanggung,

Central Java, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)

Jakarta Globe -Temanggung, Central Java. The Central Java Police claimed on Wednesday that the attack a day earlier on two churches and a Christian school by Islamic hard-liners was not a religious conflict.

Central Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said the attack, which also saw two other buildings vandalized, was “purely an act of criminal vandalism.”

He added the fact that the mob had targeted Christian buildings did not prove that they were hostile to the religion.

West Java: Catholics celebrate Christmas Mass in a parking lot

by Mathias Hariyadi
An order by Bogor Regency prohibits members of the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church from engaging in any public activity, ostensibly because they lack a proper place of worship. Muslim extremist groups increasingly threaten Indonesia’s Christians.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of members of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Parung (West Java) celebrated Mass under the sun and in a tent set up in the parking lot of the Marsudirini Elementary School. Bogor Regency chief’s prohibition of Christmas celebration was thus not repealed despite repeated attempts by Tulang Kuning Church leaders to negotiate with local authorities.

The latter justified their decision citing the lack of a permit to build a church. Without it, the local parish is not allowed to perform any public functions even on its own land.

According to Indonesia’s constitution however, no one has the right to prohibit any religious community from practicing its faith and celebrating its rites and services. Yet with the rising influence of Islamic radicals, the constitution has been repeatedly violated as local authorities kowtow to Muslim extremists and show greater hostilities towards Christians.

The Parish of Saint John the Baptist has at least 3,000 members. In April of this year, dozens of Muslim extremists threatened those from the community in Tulang Kuning, preventing them from celebrating Easter Mass.