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JAKARTA - A bomb exploded outside a government office on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, police said Wednesday, adding they feared more blasts were possible over Christmas in the religious violence-hit region. Elsewhere in the world's most populous Muslim nation, thousands of police were on alert safeguarding churches. Three years ago on Christmas Eve, suspected Muslim militants bombed churches in 11 cities, killing 19 and injuring more than 100.
Authorities have said they have no specific information that more attacks are being planned, but have nevertheless warned that several extremists suspected in last year's Bali bombings remain on the run in the country. The bomb on Sulawesi exploded Tuesday in the town of Poso, said police Lt. Col. Agil Assagaf. The low-explosive device, which was hidden in plastic bag, caused minor damage to the government building, he said.
"This was to shake the security situation in Poso ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations," Assagaf said. He said police expected there may be more efforts "to terrorize the town during Christmas and New Year." Suspected Muslim militants have killed at least 12 Christians in Central Sulawesi province over the last two months, raising fears of a return to large scale clashes that rocked the region in 2000 that killed 1,000 people.
About 90 per cent of Indonesia's 210 million people are Muslims, making it the world's most populous Islamic country. The rest are mostly Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. Central Sulawesi, which is 1,600 kilometers northeast of the capital, Jakarta, has roughly equal Muslim and Christian populations.
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