Indonesia: Hundreds of Christians held hostage

More than 700 Christians have been captured and are being held hostage in the mosques of Keswui island in the Moluccas, aid workers reported last night. Workers at the Diocesan Crisis centre in Ambon said Christians across the Moluccas were being forced to convert to Islam or be killed. The violence continues to spread through out the islands. Last week, groups of paramilitary Islamic solders attacked the Christian community in Geyser, Goring, Kurmangur and Tandy. Four villages were burnt to the ground and at least eight people were killed. Many people are now reported to be hiding in the mountains on Keswui. Aid workers say there have been several attempts to escape by boat, but these have all been intercepted by Moslem patrols.