IS has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings in three Indonesian churches, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens of others. According to police, the suicide bombers were all members of the same family: a mother and two daughters aged nine and 12 detonated their bombs in one church, while the father and two sons, aged 16 and 18, targeted two other churches. The Santa Maria Catholic Church was attacked first, then the Surabaya Centre Pentecostal Church and the Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church. The fact that a family, including children and teenagers, carried out these attacks is part of what makes them so shocking. A family should be a place of love and safety - and yet this one was used to inspire hatred and violence. But there is another family that we are a part of: God’s worldwide family of the church. Our brothers and sisters in Surabaya need our prayers and support today. Many are grieving, many are injured, many are scared.
Indonesia: one family bombs three churches
Written by David Fletcher 18 May 2018Additional Info
- Pray: for comfort for those who mourn, and healing for those who have been injured. Pray also for protection over churches and others who are targets for extremist attacks. (Psalm 55:9)
- More: www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/indonesia-180514/