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A Catholic priest has been stabbed while holding a Sunday service by an ISIS-inspired knifeman who then tried to set off an explosive device but failed.

Priest Albert Pandiangan was giving the mass in the city of Medan in Indonesia, located on the western island of Sumatra.

He was approached by a young man who stabbed him in his left arm, local chief detective Nur Fallah said.

Images of the priest later emerged showing him with a bloodied arm, while the suspect's ID card was found at the scene accompanied with a drawing of the Islamic State terrorist flag.

(Image: Barcroft Media) (Image: Barcroft Media)

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

(Image: Twitter)

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

(Image: Getty Images)

Parishioners also took to social media to pay tribute to the priest's work in the community.

It is the latest in a string of attacks on religious minorities in the predominantly Muslim country.

(Image: Barcroft Media)

Police have said they do not believe he was acting alone, but are still working to confirm his identity.

(Image: Getty Images)

The attacker was carrying a homemade explosive device.

(Image: Barcroft Media)

Mr 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."

The priest suffered slight injuries and has been taken to hospital for treatment.

(Image: REUTERS)

After being detained by officers, the suspect was pictured with a bloodied face in just his underwear as officers looked on.

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There have been a number of attacks on religious minorities and others in Indonesia in recent years.

It is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

(Image: REUTERS)

A suicide attack in the Indonesian capital in January killed four attackers and four civilians, including a Westerner, and injured 19.

(Image: Twitter)

In July a suicide bomber linked to the Islamic State group blew himself up outside a police station in Central Java.

Churchgoers on Sunday quickly caught the attacker and called the police.

An eyewitness, Markus Harianto Manullan, said the assailant wore a jacket and carried a bag.

(Image: EPA)

"He sat in the same row as I did... I saw him fiddling with something in his jacket, and then I heard a small explosion and he immediately ran to the podium," Manullan said.

Police are still investigating the man's motive.