Indonesian authorities said Friday that they have mobilized armed personnel to secure Catholic churches across the nation ahead of the Easter weekend.
The tightening of security around the religious buildings comes after two recent terror attacks.
National Police spokesman Rusdi Hartono said that they are now on high alert given the upcoming Easter weekend. He said all officers across the country have been told to be vigilant of possible terrorist attacks.
"In light of recent security conditions, (particularly) the incident in Makassar, the National Police has instructed police in all regions to step up their vigilance towards acts of terrorism, particularly in their operations to secure Easter celebrations," Hartono said.
Hartono said teams have been dispatched to comb churches and other religious sites for bombs and other suspicious items. He said stations have been instructed to place police officers at the entrances of all major churches.
President Joko Widodo, who openly condemned the recent attacks, said that his administration will do everything in its power to prevent any further violence.
"I have instructed national police chief, military chief, and state intelligence agency chief to increase vigilance. There is no place for terrorism in our motherland," Widodo said.
Last week, a couple riding a motorcycle blew themselves up in front of a Catholic church in the city of Makassar in the country's South Sulawesi province. The suicide bombing injured more than 20 people with four severely wounded.
Another attack inside the National Police headquarters also took place in Jakarta last week. A 25-year-old woman shot at police before she was gunned down and killed. No police were injured during the incident.
The female suspect was believed to be an Islamic State radical. The National Police is currently conducting an investigation to find out how she managed to sneak a gun into the police headquarters.
"Fact of the matter is, she was able to sneak a gun into the police headquarters. We are auditing our security procedures. If there are flaws, we will make improvements," Hartono said.
Investigators said that the suspect had posted an image of the ISIS flag on her Instagram account prior to the attack. Investigators also found a suicide at the suspect's home.
