Incident Summary:

12/24/2000: In a near simultaneous string of related attacks across Indonesia, suspected Jemaah Islamiyah perpetrators attempted to detonate bombs at 11 churches and religious targets in Medan, Indonesia, including the HKBP church. The bombs at these locations were disguised as Christmas gifts; they were discovered and defused without causing any damage or casualties, however the entire series of attacks killed 19 and wounded at least 118.

GTD ID:
200012240024

When:
2000-12-24

Country:
Indonesia

Region:
Southeast Asia

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

North Sumatra

City:
Medan

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Bombing/Explosion
Successful Attack? (more) No
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Religious Figures/Institutions
Name of Entity HKBP Church
Specific Description HKBP Church
Nationality of Target Indonesia
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Explosives Unknown Explosive Type
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?Yes
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information This was one of thirty-nine related attacks (cf. 200012240001-39). Many of the bombs were placed in cars outside churches, and all detonated at the same time of day. All of the attacks targeted the minority Christian population in Indonesia. Several militant Islamic groups and separatist fighters in the restive northwestern province of Aceh denied involvement in the bombings. President Abdurrahman Wahid accused forces linked to Indonesia's former dictatorship of orchestrating the series of church bombings. Wahid, a respected Muslim scholar, called the blasts un-Islamic and said they were aimed at dividing the country along religious lines, stifling reforms and bringing down his government. No one has claimed responsibility for the 39 bombings and attempted bombings throughout Indonesia.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Jemaah Islamiya (JI) (suspected) No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators Unknown
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 0 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 0
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Bomb Blasts Outside Churches in Indonesia Kill at Least 6; Blasts Deepen Rift Between Muslims and Christians,” St. Louis-Dispatch (Missouri), December 25, 2000.
“Terrorist Attacks: The Positive Outcomes,” The Jakarta Post, December 26, 2002.
“'At Least' 15 People Killed in Christmas Eve Bombings Across Indonesia,” The Jakarta Post (Internet Version-WWW), December 25, 2000.