An investigator with the Fire and Rescue Service Department has told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court that the fire that destroyed the Metro Tabernacle Church on Jan 7 was set by “irresponsible parties”.

Aswan Khamis, the prosecution’s 10th witness, concluded - based on his investigations and lab reports - that the incident was caused by “incendiary fire”.

"Petrol-based material was splashed into the lobby area (of the church) through an opening in the glass (on the door) which was broken. Subsequently, the petrol-based material was ignited," said Aswan, reading through the concluding remarks of his report.

NONE He said a laboratory analysis found traces of petrol on a burnt crash-helmet and plastic container, recovered from the road outside the church. Liquid from the scene was confirmed to be petrol.

Aswan said a spanner was also found. This was believed to have been used by the perpetrators to break the glass wall of the church.

The item did not belong to either the fire department or police, he told the court as the trial entered its second day.

When cross-examined by defence counsel Hanif Hashim, Aswan admitted that no tests were conducted on the spanner and that its role in the breaking of the glass wall was just a theory. 

He also conceded that no DNA tests were conducted on the remains of the burnt helmet and plastic container to identify the owner.

To another question, Aswan said he did not locate any fabric within the vicinity, despite an eyewitnesses telling the court yesterday that one of the alleged arsonist caught fire during the incident and threw his clothes on the floor.

Later today two prosecution witnesses exonerated the three accused of participating in the act.

Yesterday, the court heard testimony from seven of the 25 witnesses the prosecution has lined up.

NONE Brothers Raja Mohamad Faizal Raja Ibrahim (left) 24, and Raja Mohamad Idzham, 22, and their friend, Azuwan Shah Ahmad, 23, are charged with several others still at large with committing mischief by torching the church at No 28, Jalan 4/4C, Desa Melawati, at 11.50pm on Jan 7, 2010.

They are charged under Section 436 of the Penal Code which is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in jail and a fine on conviction.

The church was the first of a series of places of worship targeted for retaliation, following a Kuala Lumpur High Court decision that the use of 'Allah' is not prohibited to non-Muslims. The ruling was on an application filed by Catholic weekly Herald.