Suspected militant shot after sword attack on Indonesian church, 4 injured

A man attacked a church congregation on Sunday in Yogyakarta province of Indonesia leaving four people wounded, media reports said.

Around 100 people were attending the service when the 22-year-old man stormed into the church with aone-meter-long sword during a Sunday morning mass and began attacking terror-stricken people inthe St Lidwuna Bedhog Trihanggo church of Sleman district in the province.

The attack injured four people including a police officer who was trying to protect the priest.

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The man was shot by other police officials in a counter attack."After the warning shot was fired, the attacker charged towards the officer with his sword. The officer then shot him below his stomach, but he managed to injure the cop before being subdued,"said worshipper Andhi Cahyo.

"Everybody started panicking and screaming. I was scrambling to save my wife and children," Cahyo told AFP.

People fled through another door as the attacker ran amok inside the church.

He destroyed some books and a Virgin Mary statue with his sword, said Cahyo, and attacked 81-year-German priest Edmund Prier who was standing at the altar.

The police are undergoing investigation to understand the reason for the attack and network linked with the man.

The victims suffered head, back and neck injuries and have been admitted to a nearby hospital, reports said.

Churches are a common target for Islamic militants in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.