Benteng Reges

The Young Men's Christian Association is at work on the island: "We must defeat their fear; only then can real reconstruction take place."

The order to be on "maximum alert" has spread across the entire province. Benedict XVI set up a new diocese there a few days ago. All churches in the area are under non-stop 24-hour surveillance.

The Muslim leader described the special commission conducting the investigation as "useless" and said: "In Sulawesi, the conflict was not inter-religious, but orchestrated by someone who had specific interests there."

Suspicions fall on local politicians, army officials and police officers hiding behind religious motives.

Muslim leaders are asking that the death penalty be commuted to life in prison. American Protestants have launched a campaign calling for the re-opening of the case.

Unknown attackers set on fire a Protestant church in Manada last night. Alertness increases to prevent Christmas attacks. Muslim volunteers join Christians in protecting Christian places of worship. Catholics and Protestants join their voice to proclaim that the "birth of the Lord should enhance awareness throughout Indonesian society of the urgency in establishing fraternal relations among fellow Indonesians."

Muslim paramilitary group loyal to former president Abdurrahman Wahid announces it is providing protection and monitoring services to the island's Christian places of worship, which are targets of Muslim terrorists.

The five churches and small mosque had been constructed on public land in Banten region. A complex of houses and shops will replace the churches. In Java, 25 churches were closed down within a year.

The charge was levelled by three Catholics condemned to death for their alleged role in the clashes: we are risking our lives and those who are truly responsible are still at large. The 16 names revealed include members of the local administration. The police have ordered fresh investigations; the convicts had made the same charges at the beginning of the trial but no one listened to them then

Protests by residents of Tangerang regency averted the destruction of five Protestant churches and a small mosque built on public land.

Residents of Haya, a mountain village in one of the Maluku islands, torched a student hostel where suspected terrorists lived. Police Chief says that the study centre trained people for jihad.

The couple was leaving a religious function in Palu; they are now in hospital in critical condition. A policeman has been arrested, prime suspect in the machete killing of a 22-year-old girl on Friday, in the same area. According to national police, the spiraling violence is "orchestrated" by a "mafia" based either in Jakarta or in central Sulawesi.