- The North Sumatra Police’s bomb squad on Saturday secured an alleged homemade bomb, that contained 500 grams of nails, which was found in the backyard of Salaon Toba Catholic Church in Samosir Island, located at the center of the renowned Lake Toba.
- The church’s priest, Herman Nainggolan, said the package was found following a text message received by local district head Ronggur Ni Huta at 11:11 p.m. local time on Friday that read, “There is a bomb in your jurisdiction at the Salaon Church.”
- The text message was promptly reported to the police, which sent a team to inspect the church.
- “No one had the courage to move it. It [the bomb] was secured only after the bomb squad arrived today,” Nainggolan said on Saturday.
- The suspicious package, which was packed in two drinking bottles, stirred panic among the congregation taking part in Christmas mass.
- The team arrived at the church at about 11:30 a.m. and brought the package to the Samosir Police headquarters for further examination.
- Samosir Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Donny Damanik said the package had been examined and it was not a bomb. It did not contain explosive material, but it was equipped with batteries connected to the nails with cables.
Catholic church receives bomb threat post Christmas | The Jakarta Post
