Suicide Bomb Hits Palm Sunday Mass in Indonesia's South Sulawesi

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A cathedral in the Indonesian city of Makassar on Sulawesi island was rocked by a suicide bombing on Sunday with body parts were found at the scene as churchgoers celebrated the start of Holy Week.

The powerful blast at the catholic church took place around 10.30 am local time and left two people who were suspected of being the perpetrators dead and 20 people were injured.

Wilhelmus Tulak, a priest at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, said he had just finished celebrating Palm Sunday Mass when a loud bang shocked his congregation. He said the blast went off as the first batch of churchgoers was walking out of the church and another group was coming in.

Two people were allegedly riding a motorcycle trying to enter the churchyard but were held by some church security guards. One of them detonated the bomb and died near the gate after being confronted by guards.

Dok Istimewa The couple who carried out the suicide bombing at the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi Province on March 28, 2021.

ANTARA FOTO/ABRIAWAN ABHE Indonesian police officers stand guard near a Cathedral church in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, March 28, 2021.

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TRIBUN-TIMUR.COM/EMBA Police stand guard near the scene after an explosion in front of a cathedral in the Indonesian city of Makassar in South Sulawesi on Sunday, March 28, 2021.

ANTARA FOTO/Indra Arbiyanto Police investigators carry a body bag containing the remains of two suicide bombers who carried out an attack on Makassar Cathedral during a Palm Sunday Mass on Sunday morning (28/3/2021). The two attackers were the only fatalities in the attack, which also wounded 20 members of the church congregation as well as the cathedral's security guards.

(Writers: Achmad Nasrudin Yahya | Editor: Bayu Galih)

Sources: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/03/29/11094491/panglima-tni-dukung-polri-tindak-tegas-aktor-bom-bunuh-diri-makassar.