Angry Muslim mob attacks church in Indonesia

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — A pastor and his wife living in Aceh province, Indonesia, have gone into hiding after a Muslim mob set fire to a church building Sept. 1. Several weeks ago, Pastor Luther Saragih of an Indonesia Evangelical Mission Church congregation distributed letters to several villages in Aceh Singkil inviting Christians to a revival service.

A Muslim resident somehow received a copy of the letter and edited it, making it appear that Muslims were invited to the service. More than 500 Christians arrived for the service, along with a large crowd of irate Muslims.

Police detained Saragih and scolded him for organizing the service, but another pastor was able to deliver a brief sermon before the event was cut short. Later that night, a mob of more than 100 men poured gasoline over the building and set fire to it. They also attempted to burn a second building used as a church kindergarten and then came looking for Saragih and his pregnant wife at their nearby house. The couple escaped to the jungle. Christians in a neighboring province have provided shelter for Saragih and his wife following reports that local police and Muslim leaders are still searching for the couple.