Semarang, Indonesia - Archbishop Johannes Pujasumarta, Archbishop of Semarang, has called the entire Catholic community "to remain calm" after the explosion of two bombs in the church of Christ the King in the district of Gawok (Kartasura, Central Java), on 7 December. The attack is the latest in a series of attacks on Christian places of worship. Chief Inspector of Police Edward Aritonang Central Java, has declined to comment about the possible perpetrator of the act.
The explosive was placed in two milk cans, along with nails and small stones. Tugimin, a local who was accompanying his mother to the market, witnessed the accident and tried to extinguish the fire caused by the explosion.
Also on December 7, two other letter bombs were found in Surakarta, about 20 miles east of Kartasura: the first in a yard, the second near the police station in Pasar Kliwon ,a subdistrict of the city. Wirabumi Edy, a member of the royal family of Kasunanan Surakarta, said: "We hope we are not the target of these provocative actions. We have no enemies here. "
Sunday, December 5 another letter bomb was found in the Protestant church in Muria Indonesia in Surakarta, shortly before the service began. On 1 December, there was also a foiled explosion of homemade grenades near the shrine of the Sendand Sriningsih Virgin Mary. In October, another letter bomb was found in a Protestant church in GKJ Gebyog in Kartasura.