1．Worldwide Religious News （http://www.wwrn.org）
Three young Muslim men on trial for attack on Kuala Lumpur church
("AsiaNews", July 8, 2010)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The trial of three young Muslim men accused of having bombed and set fire to of Metro Tabernacle Church in the capital in January is in its second day.
On the night between 7 and 8 January, an explosion damaged the administrative offices of Metro Tabernacle Church. Soon after, three other Christian places of worship, including the Catholic Church of the Assumption in Petaling Jaya, were attacked (see Malaysia: Four Christian churches attacked over controversy on the use of "Allah")
Several other incidents against places of worship followed; 7 churches, a Sikh temple, two mosques and three Islamic places of worship. The incidents seem to have been provoked by the country's High Court decision to allow a Catholic newspaper use of the word "Allah" to refer to the Christian God.
Two of the defendants, and Raja Muhd Faizal and Raja Muhd Idzham, are brothers and the third, Azuwan Sahah Ahmad is a friend. They were arrested after one of them turned up at the ER for treatment of some severe burns. Their lawyer claims they are innocent.If convicted, the three face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The prosecutor has prepared 25 witnesses, including several policemen, a fireman and eyewitnesses, who saw a group of youths on a motorbike arriving at the Metro Tabernacle Church minutes before the explosion and fire. Two days ago, six witnesses were heard, yesterday three others, including the doctor who treated one of the accused.
・Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse or adhere to views or opinions expressed in the articles posted. This is purely an information site, to inform interested parties of religious trends.
2．Union of Catholic Asian News （http://www.ucanews.com）
Arson trial witnesses can’t confirm details, 8 July 2010
by ucanews.com reporter, Kuala Lumpur
Christian observers at a trial of three Muslims charged with torching a Malaysian church say they doubt the men will be convicted, as witnesses have been unable to confirm important details.
“Witnesses confirmed seeing the guys there but the same witnesses say they did not see the youths pour the petrol,” said a Catholic lawyer who attended the second day of court proceedings on July 7.
Brothers Mohamad Idzham, 23, and Mohamad Faizal, 24, together with their friend, Azuwan Shah Ahmad, 23, have been charged with setting fire to the Metro Tabernacle Church in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 7.
The three were arrested after they sought medical treatment for severe burns.
If found guilty, they face imprisonment of up to 20 years.
Several other individuals charged with the crime are still at large.
The incident was the first in a series of attacks on Malaysian worship venues following a Dec. 31, 2009 High Court ruling allowing the Catholic weekly, Herald, to use the word “Allah” to refer to God in its Malay-language section.
One witness, Mohd. Razman Azmir Shaharran, said on July 6, the first day of the trial, that he did not notice who splashed petrol on the church. However, he did say that he saw the accused carrying petrol containers on their way to the church.
Another witness, Noor Shahli Nasrullah Bahariddin, confirmed the two brothers were at the church on the night of the incident but said he could not see what they were doing as it was dark.
The trial has been adjourned till later this month.
3. The Star Online
（http://thestar.com.my）
Church arson witnessed, 7 July 2010
by NURBAITI HAMDAN（nurbaiti@thestar.com.my）
KUALA LUMPUR: An electrician told the Sessions Court here that he saw a group of men breaking and entering the Metro Tabernacle Church and setting it on fire in the middle of the night.
Yong Choy Yee, 34, said he was sitting in a car 30m from the church after returning from supper with his friend around midnight when he saw the men.
“About seven or eight men appeared from nearby bushes and walked towards the church with pieces of wood that looked like baseball bats.
“Two or three of them broke the glass wall while the others stormed inside and set fire to the church,” he said, adding that the men were in their 20s and 30s.
He said the men also carried what looked like a “container”.
Yong also testified that before the incident, he had seen another man in jacket and helmet circling the place a few times on a mortorcycle before parking behind his car.
“I did not dare make any distress phone calls.
“What if the man behind me had a gun?” said the eye-witness, adding that he had also seen a man running out of the building with his shirt and hair on fire.
“The man took off his burning shirt and threw it by the roadside. No one helped him,” he said.
However, Yong said he could not tell whether the men left on motorcycles or on foot after the incident; nor could he recognise the men.
On Jan 29, siblings Raja Muhammad Faizal Raja Ibrahim, 24, and Raja Muhammad Idzham Raja Ibrahim, 22, and their 23-year-old friend Azuwan Shah Ahmad, all despatch riders, claimed trial to setting fire to the church in Desa Melawati, Wangsa Maju, here.
They were charged with committing mischief with fire, with the intention of destroying the church, at 11.50pm on Jan 7.
Earlier, security guard Mohammad Tarmizi Yaakob, 31, said he had seen a group of six men on three EX5 motorcycles circling the area but could not identify the men as the three accused.
Another eyewitness, V. Mariappan, 69, said he heard a loud explosion when he was coming out of a toilet located near the church.
“It sounded like boom!” said Mariappan, who works at the church.
Raja Muhammad Faizal and Raja Muhammad Idzham were represented by Hanif while Azuwan was represented by lawyer Dzaki Ezhar Bahar.
© 1995-2010 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
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