— Terror suspects arrested Thursday led police to five massive bombs buried beneath a gas pipeline near a church just outside Indonesia’s capital, officials said.
Djoko Suyanto, a security minister, said he believed Islamic militants had been plotting an attack ahead of Easter celebrations. The U.S. embassy urged Americans to be vigilant.
National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the 19 suspects were arrested Thursday, including six accused in a series of mail bombs sent last month to liberal Muslim activists and a former anti-terror chief.
Several people were wounded in the parcel bombings, none seriously.
The arrested men eventually led police to the gas pipeline 100 meters from a Catholic church large enough to hold 3,000 people in Serpong, Pradopo said.
They discovered five bombs that together weighed 150 kilograms and were rigged to be detonated by cell phone, according to Nardi Atmaja, a church official at the scene.
Earlier police had said there was just one bomb. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear.
Local media quoted investigators as saying each explosion would have had a reach of up to 250 meters , presumably engulfing the church in flames during Good Friday celebrations.
The U.S. embassy in Jakarta issued a statement urging Americans to be especially cautious over the weekend and to stay clear of demonstrations.
“Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence,” it said.
Ninety percent of Indonesians are Muslim, though most practice a moderate form of the faith and abhor violence. A small, extremist fringe has become more vocal, and violent, in recent years.
Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini contributed to this report from Jakarta.
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