T

angerang Police are set to deploy 922 police and military personel to provide security for Christmas celebrations at 78 churches and six tourist destination across the regency, the police chief has said.

The police held a meeting on Friday to discuss the planned security measures with military personel, a representative from the Religious Affairs Ministry, members of the Tangerang Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Tangerang chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) at the Graha Pemuda Tigaraksa building.

During the meeting, Tangerang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sabilul Alif said the police would set up metal detectors at the churches to prevent terror attacks. “The security officers will ensure that no one brings explosive substances or anything else prohibited by law to the sites,” Sabilul said on Friday.

Several conflicts over religious differences have previously occurred in Tangerang regency.

Last week, a copy of a draft regulation on limiting non-Muslim worship in Rajeg subdistrict was circulated widely on the internet. The draft stipulated that residents of minority religions would be permitted to use their homes as places of worship only if they did not invite other people or clerics from outside their housing complex. The use of amplifiers when performing rituals would also be prohibited.

In October, the construction of a Catholic school in Cikupa was hampered by spreading fake news that the largest church in Southeast Asia was being built.