Suliyono, 22, a suspected Muslim extremist, armed with a sword, entered St. Lidwina Church in Yogyakarta as the congregation was singing a hymn during Mass led by Jesuit Father Karl-Edmund Prier.

"I forgive Sulyono with sincerity. Every day I pray the Our Father prayer, which states that as we forgive those who trespass against us," wrote 81-year-old Father Prier in a letter posted on the bishops' commission on social communication website.

Prier said he could have run away during the assault, "However, my conscience said: 'Do not go. The good shepherd should not run when wolves come.' I remained standing on the altar to divert the attacker's attention to me," he said.

Witnesses said the attacker charged in through the main entrance of the church injuring a parishoner before heading towards the altar.

As well as Prier, three other members of the congregation and a police officer responding to the incident, were injured in the attack.

Suliyono also attacked and damaged statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

In the video that went viral on social media, the attacker was seen swinging a sword in front of the altar. Some people were seen throwing rocks or chairs at him.

Police spokesman Yulianto said that Suliyono attempted to resist arrest and was shot by police in the thigh.

He also said Muslims had been very kind and helped clean up the church after the attack.

Archbishop Robertus Rubyatmoko of Semarang appealed for no acts of revenge over the attack.

"Let us just pray for the recovery of the victims and the change for the perpetrator's life," he said.

Anti-terrorism police are still investigating.

Source

• ucanews.com
• ucanews.com
• straitstimes.com
• Image: sesawi.net

"It's a challenge for Indonesia's democracy," said Bonar Tigor Naipospos, vice chairman of the executive board of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, a research institute in Jakarta.

"It shows to me that Islamization is deepening in society, especially in urban areas and cities," he said.

Baswedan is known to be a moderate Muslim, but attracted criticism when he met publicly with Islamist groups during his campaign.

His team insists he remains a pluralist.

His big margin came as a surprise because opinion polls in the run-up to the election were predicting a dead-heat.

Indonesian social media users likened the election outcome to the shock results of the US presidential vote and the Brexit vote of last year.

The election campaign featured mass rallies led by a hardline Islamist movement, which has strengthened in recent years.

The hardline Islamists said Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent, insulted a Koranic verse during a campaign speech and have rallied large crowds against him in recent months.

He is now on trial for blasphemy, which he denies.

Religion however was not the only factor in his defeat.

Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, won popularity for trying to improve traffic-choked, chaotic Jakarta by cleaning up rivers and demolishing red-light districts.

But his combative style and controversial slum clearances sparked some opposition.

Official results by the General Elections Commission of Indonesia will not be released until next week.

Source

• channelnewsasia.com
• bbc.com
• nytimes.com
• newsinfo.inquirer.net
• Image: static.seattimes.com

The chief executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Andrew Kibblewhite, said members of the group had been selected for their areas of expertise.

"They're a group of free thinkers who between them cover the big risk areas."

The members of the group are:

• Ian Fletcher - head of the Government Communications Security Bureau
• Sir Peter Gluckman - PM's chief science adviser
• Therese Walsh - chief executive of the 2015 Cricket World Cup
• Karen Poutasi - chief executive of NZQA
• Keith Turner - chairman of Fisher and Paykel
• Richard Forgan - consulting partner at PWC
• Hugh Cowan - Earthquake Commission executive
• Lt Gen Rhys Jones - former Chief of Defence Force
• Helen Anderson - director of Dairy NZ, Niwa and Branz
• Murray Sherwin - chairman of the Productivity Commission
• Led by GCSB boss Ian Fletcher, the group of 10 have been drawn from public and private life to find weaknesses in New Zealand's armour.

Papers released to the Herald through the Official Information Act show the advisory group was formed as part of a streamlining process and to help "in anticipating and mitigating strategic national security risks".

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Image: Screenshot TNVZ