Bomb explodes near a church in eastern Indonesia, no one wounded

A bomb exploded near a church in eastern Indonesia early Thursday, but no one was wounded, a local TV news report said.

The blast occurred in Ambon in the Maluku Islands, where fighting between Muslims and Christians between 1999 and 2001 killed 9,000 people.

Police were questioning five people about the 3:30 a.m. blast, which occurred on a road near a Protestant church, Metro TV said.

Investigators found shrapnel _ including metal and nails _ but did not know what kind of explosive material was used for the bomb.

Residents said the blast could be heard two kilometers (less than a mile) away, the station reported, though it left only a small hole in the road.

At least 80 percent of Indonesia's 210 million people are Muslims, but the Maluku Islands are evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. The area has been largely peaceful since 2001, but sporadic shootings and bombings still take place, AP reported. V.A.