Palm Sunday Bombing at Catholic Church in Indonesia Injures 20, No Deaths Reported Thus Far
Evan James
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Suicide bombers targeted a Catholic Church in Makassar, Indonesia, on Sunday morning. 20 people were injured and ostensibly no one died except the two bombers.
According to NPR, the suicide bombers attempted to enter the “church compound” of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral around 10:30am local time, just as Mass was finishing. They were riding a motorcycle and detonated at least one bomb near a compound entrance.
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian faith. The feast day celebrates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a colt to begin his Passion. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday.
More from NPR:
Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemned the attack as an “act of terrorism,” and said he had ordered the police “to thoroughly investigate the perpetrators’ networks and tear down the networks to their roots.”
Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas encouraged police to improve security at places of worship. “Whatever the motive is, this attack cannot be justified by any religion because it only does harm to other people,” he said.
Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world; it is home to approximately 13 percent of the world’s Muslims.
No organization has claimed responsibility for the bombings yet, though that could potentially change.
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