Jehovah’s Witnesses Bombed; 1 Dead, 43 Hurt

A bomb planted under the speaker’s platform exploded Sunday during a crowded Australian service of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, killing one person and injuring 43, many of them children, police reported.

The explosion hurled worshipers onto the grass outside and blew debris 200 feet into the air, demolishing the rear of the church and its metal roof.

Many of the worshipers afterward sat bleeding, deafened by the blast, or wandered about in shock. “We can’t understand why,” said a leader of the sect, which actively proselytizes door to door. He said he is not aware of any motive for a bombing.

Twenty ambulances took the injured to hospitals, where some refused to accept blood transfusions because of their religious beliefs. Other Jehovah’s Witnesses gathered to make sure that the injured were not given medical treatment they did not want.

No one immediately took responsibility for the blast. The church had previously been broken into and had blood daubed on its curtains.

During World War II, the Jehovah’s Witnesses were declared a prohibited organization under Australian security regulations. Group members were charged with disseminating literature stating that international organizations--including the British Empire, of which Australia was part--were Satan’s tools for ruling the world.

Members also refuse to serve in the military, salute the flag or swear allegiance to a government.

The group has been widely persecuted, especially in Africa.