JAKARTA - Mindful of last year's bomb attacks near churches that killed 19 people, Indonesian police will deploy tens of thousands of personnel across the country on Christmas Eve.
Newly appointed Jakarta police chief, Inspector-General Makbul Padmanegara, said 14,000 police personnel, both uniformed and undercover, will be assigned to churches to ensure security during Christmas.
'Security at churches will be tight, and we will be deploying about 30 personnel per location,' he told the press on Friday, adding that each church should buy metal detectors for every entrance.
Other public places nationwide, such as bus and train stations, will also be guarded.
On Christmas Eve last year, dozens of terrorist bombs exploded at a number of churches, killing at least 15 church-going civilians and seriously injuring 96 others.
In Jakarta alone, three Christians were killed in five church blasts. Officials said then that the attacks were intended to destabilise the government of then president Abdurrahman Wahid and stir religious tension.
None of the terrorists have been captured.
Some of the bombs were sent through the mail disguised as Christmas packages, while others were planted outside the church buildings by the suspects.
But despite last year's incidents, only a few churches in Jakarta are taking precautionary measures as they plan to rely heavily on police for security.
Meanwhile, the United States is warning its citizens in Indonesia to take extra safety precautions over concerns that they could be in the firing line of radical Muslim opponents of its war on terrorism.
The US Embassy in Jakarta issued an e-mail message advising Americans to recall last year's bombings, adding: 'There was no evidence that American citizens or interests were targeted. However, there are indications that similar incidents could occur this year.
'Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all required travel and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with suspicion,' the message said.