A man who stabbed a priest and attempted to cause an explosion in an Indonesian church is in custody after being chased down by the congregation.

Images have emerged of the suspected terror attacker lying bloodied on the ground after churchgoers held him for police.

He had reportedly sat with other worshippers in the church, before setting off a small explosion and rushing forward to attack the priest.

The pastor of the Catholic church in Medan was stabbed in the arm but suffered only minor injuries.

Image: People are led away from Saint Joseph Catholic church after the attack

The suspect was found with a symbol indicating support for Islamic State, the Jakarta Post reports.


Local chief detective Nur Fallah said: "Somebody tried to kill the priest by pretending to attend the church service and at that time tried to explode something, like a firecracker, but the firecracker didn't explode, it only fumed."

Witness Bener Ginting said the suspect was wearing a backpack which was on fire as he ran through the church.

Mr Ginting said: "The priest was reading the bible and giving the sermon, when suddenly we heard an explosion and there was a guy with his back on fire running towards the front to attack the priest."

Image: Police say the suspect was armed with a knife and a homemade explosive device

Another eyewitness, Markus Harianto Manullan, said he saw the suspect "fiddling with something in his jacket" before the blast.

Mr Manullan added: "I heard a small explosion and he immediately ran to the podium."

A bomb squad was sent to the church to determine whether the attacker's backpack contained explosives.

The attacker's house will be searched for bomb-making materials, police said.