Indonesia cafe bomber flees jail

An Indonesian militant jailed for a deadly cafe bombing in 2004 has escaped from prison, officials say.

Jasmin bin Kasau used a rope to climb the walls of Guning Sari jail on the island of Sulawesi, the prison's security chief said.

Bin Kasau was serving a 20-year term for masterminding the bombing of the crowded cafe in the southern Sulawesi town of Palopo in January 2004.

The blast, blamed on Islamic militants, killed four people and injured three.

Police said at the time that the cafe had been targeted because it served alcohol and was Christian-owned, the Associated Press news agency said.

Police spokesman Dwi Hartono said police had searched Bin Kusau's parent's house but had been unable to find him.

Negligence by prison guards was thought to be behind the escape, he told AP.

Sulawesi has long been the scene of violence between Christians and Muslims.

More than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed during two years of unrest between 1998 and 2001, triggered by a brawl between Christian and Muslim gangs.

Sporadic attacks between the two sides have continued despite a peace deal signed in 2002.