Failed terrorist attempt on Indonesian Catholic Church

[rug]

Fr. Albert Pandiangan‎ lightly wounded in a terrorist attack on his Church in Medan, Indonesia, Aug. 28, 2016. - RV

29/08/2016 11:44

A would-be suicide bomber's explosives failed to detonate in a packed Catholic church in western Indonesia during Sunday Mass, and he injured a priest with an axe before being restrained, police said. During Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, 17-year-old Ivan Armadi Hasugian left his bench and ran toward the priest at the altar, but a bomb in his backpack only burned without exploding, said national police spokesman Maj. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar. Before he was restrained by members of the congregation, the man managed to take an axe from the backpack and attacked the celebrant Fr. Albert Pandiangan, causing a slight injury to the 60-year-old priest's hand, Amar said.

"From the cellphone that was seized by security forces, this youth was obsessed with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi," Chief Security Minister Wiranto told reporters, referring to the leader of the Islamic State (IS), the Middle Eastern militant group. Police were interrogating the man, who told them he was not working alone, Amar said, without providing details.

Indonesian authorities are increasingly worried about a resurgence in radicalism in the world's largest Muslim-majority country, driven in part by a new generation of jihadis inspired by Islamic State (IS). They say vast majority of Indonesians practice a moderate form of the religion. The country suffered its first IS-linked attack in January, when four people died in a gun and bomb assault.

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/08/29/failed_terrorist_attempt_on_indonesian_catholic_church/1254423

I don't know what's behind this but I've already seen too many instances where these incidents are followed by calls for revenge and death to IS.

I will say a prayer of thanks that neither Fr. Albert nor anyone else was seriously hurt.

I will especially pray for 17 year old Ivan and wonder what has brought him to this point already in his young life.

Luke 23:34

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”And they cast lots to divide his clothing.