Police question more in attack on church leaders

Police are questioning five more witnesses to an attack on two Christian church leaders in Bekasi on Sunday, a police spokesman said Monday.

“We have not yet finished questioning the witnesses,” Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar told tempointeraktif.com.

Earlier, Bekasi Police chief Sr. Comr. Imam Sugiarto said he was optimistic his detectives would arrest the alleged perpetrators of the attack on Monday.

Police have released nine witnesses who were questioned in connection with the attacks.

Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) leaders ST Sihombing and Rev. Luspida Simandjuntak were attacked Sunday morning. Sihombing was stabbed in the stomach while walking with a small group of church members on their way to a Sunday service at the church in Ciketing area in Bekasi, West Java. Simanjuntak, who went to Sihombing’s aid, was struck on the head with a plank of wood.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the attacks and the arrest of the perpetrators.