Bomb scare at Bogor Cathedral

BOGOR: The National Police’s bomb squad were deployed to examine a package suspected to contain explosives in Bogor early on Wednesday.

The package was found on the sidewalk of Jl. Kapten Muslihat, next to Bogor Cathedral, by a trash picker at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

“After examination, the police found that the box contained a pillow and empty cigarette packs,” Bogor Tengah Police chief Comr. Victor Gatot H.S. said as quoted by kompas.com.

According to the cathedral’s security staff, Jemmy, the trash picker who first spotted the package saw a man place the box on the sidewalk and walk away. They called the police, who later contacted the bomb squad.

“The bomb squad checked the box and couldn’t find any wires attached, but the metal detector beeped,” he said. “It turned out that the foil inside the cigarette packs made the alarm sound.”

The bomb hoax, however, did not deter parishioners from attending morning Mass, which also marked the 75th anniversary of Bogor bishop Mgr. Michael Cosmas Angkur OFM.