All these materials can be used to build home-made explosives."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The suspect involved in an attack on a pastor in the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Medan on Sunday is obsessed with radicalism, according to Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto.

"The police have searched his residence and backpack, and after conducting a lengthy investigation, it was revealed that he has an obsession towards international terrorism and radicalism," Wiranto stated in Jakarta, Monday.

He further noted that during the search conducted at the suspects residence in Jan Setiabudi, Medan Selayang District, the investigators found materials to build a home-made bomb, including silver wire, batteries, a fluorescent lamp, and soldering iron.

"All these materials can be used to build home-made explosives. The instructions can be found online, and the suspect is also known to spend a lot of his time browsing the Internet," Wiranto remarked.

Meanwhile, during the incident, the suspect entered the church with a lighter and six home-made explosives, all of which contained cement and gunpowder and which explains why a small explosion had occurred.

"The police also found write-ups in the suspects residence containing the words I love Al-Bagdadi, which is currently being investigated. As of now, we are yet to identify him as a member of an international terrorist network," the minister reiterated.

The man had attacked a pastor with a knife in the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Medan on Sunday.

North Sumatra Police Chief of the Crime Unit revealed that the perpetrator has been identified as an 18-year-old man, with the initials IAH. He entered the church pretending to attend the mass.

When Pastor Albert Pandiangan stepped up to deliver a sermon, the suspect went up to the churchs altar and attempted to attack him with a knife. His ill-advised act wounded the pastors hand.

The suspect also carried a backpack containing bombs that did not explode.

Police Commissioner Nur Falah pointed out that the police will continue to intensify their investigation and analyze the possibility of the suspects involvement in a terrorist group.

"We are yet to confirm the involvement of ISIS in this incident," he added.

(Reported by Agita Tarigan/Uu.KR-ARC/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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