Indonesia church attack: Would-be 'Isis' suicide bomber attacks priest with axe

A teenage assailant injured a priest with an axe after a bomb in his backpack failed to explode during a Sunday Mass

An Indonesian plainclothes policeman detains a terrorist suspect (C) after an attempted suicide bombing at St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, Indonesia, 28 August 2016 (EPA)

Indonesian police are investigating a suspected terror attack after a would-be suicide bomber carrying a “hand-drawn Isis symbol” attacked a Catholic priest with an axe and failed to detonate explosives in a church.

The 18-year-old assailant ran towards the priest during a crowded Sunday Mass in Medan, after a bomb in his backpack burned without exploding, national police spokesman Major General Boy Rafli Amar said.

The attacker also took an axe from his backpack and used it to attack 60-year-old Reverend Albert Pandiangan before he was restrained by church-goers, Major General Amar said.

Indonesian mobile brigade policemen stand guard after an attempted suicide bombing by an unidentified man at St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia Province, 28 August 2016 (EPA)

Indonesian policemen guard a blindfolded suspect who attacked a priest in Medan (AFP)

There were no serious casualties, but the priest sustained a minor injury to his hand and the attacker was also injured, police in Medan city, northern Sumatra told Reuters.

The motive for the attack at the Roman Catholic Saint Joseph Church remains unclear, however the teenager was found with a symbol indicating support for Isis.

Images published in local media showing objects confiscated from the teenager by police show his ID along with what appears to be a hand-drawn Isis flag.

A member of the congregation, who gave their name as Vero, told the Jakata Post the attacker was “fidgety the whole time” during the service and “because of the weakness of the explosion, he was caught, so he got up and went to the alter, going after the priest while wielding sharp weapons.”

Timbas Ginting, a witness present in the church, told Reuters the attacker had sat with other worshippers before running toward the priest.

“There was a small explosion like fireworks and he also took out a knife as he ran toward the priest,” he said.

Residents carry an unconscious woman after the attempted suicide bombing (EPA)

Indonesian policemen examine the Saint Yosef church after a man tried to attack a priest in Medan (AFP)

A bomb squad later arrived at the church to investigate whether the assailant was carrying other explosives.

Rina Sari Ginting, a spokeswoman for Medan police said in a statement: "A terrorism act was carried out on Sunday morning at the Saint Joseph catholic church.

"Police are interrogating the perpetrator... and will search his house for any bomb-making materials."

Mr Amar said the attacker told authorities he had not been working alone. No more details have been given.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on militant networks since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Additional reporting by Associated Press