Photo: Erik A. Kape, The Salvation Army's commander for Palu, center, consoles the East Indonesia Mujahidin attack victims' widows during a funeral ceremony in Sigi, Central Sulawesi
An Islamist terrorist group has been named as being responsible for the killing of four members of a Christian family at a Salvation Army church outpost in Indonesia.
The incident occurred in Lembantongoa village in Sigi and was said to have been carried out by the Al-Qaeda aligned group East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT). The family were killed and had their bodies mutilated, their home was also burned to the ground. One of the individuals was said to have been beheaded. It is one of a number of attacks that MIT has carried out over the last few months against the local population. MIT are based in the thick jungle that surrounds the area and led by Ali Kalora, a notorious militant. The group is said to number around a dozen active members.Previous attacks by the group include an ambush attack on a van carrying medical workers and an attack in which they took local farmers hostage.
The national police have now placed a large contingency of troops into the area.
A spokesperson, Brigadier General Awi Setiyono, said:
"It was stated that the perpetrators were at least 10 people, three of them carried firearms. Today, we are deploying 100 troops from the Tinombala Task Force, Central Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade, and Indonesia Military to carry out the pursuit of the Ali Kalora group."
The Salvation Army has said that the family were helping to build a church and Christian community in the area.
Brian Peddle, the international leader of The Salvation Army, spoke of his grief over the attack on his church's members. The statement read:
"Throughout all aspects of Salvation Army ministry and influence, we work for peace. We find the news from Lembantongoa greatly disturbing. Our hearts go out to our people who have been victims of evil and to the families of those whose faith has caused such harm. I call upon all Salvationists to pray for each person who has been affected, for the continuing witness of our people, and for healing in the communities."
The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) also released a statement saying:
"This incident demonstrates barbaric acts that should be denounced by all civilized people. We continue to pray for and support all the government's efforts to maintain the security and order of the people in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, that is free from acts of terror and extremism."
Indonesia is the most populous Islamic nation in the world, though it does have a significant Christian minority. For the most part, relations between Muslims and other religions in the country are good. There has however, for a number of years been an Islamic militant presence. The most notable attack being the Bali bombing in 2002 which killed 202 people. Indonesia later put the perpetrators to death.
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