'I will stay home on Christmas Day'

Over the past four years, Christmas celebrations have been haunted by terror threats following several bombs in major cities in 2000. Jakarta Police have deployed around 15,000 officers to safeguard the capital for Christmas. The Jakarta Post talked to some residents on their plans to celebrate Christmas and how the terror threats would affect their holiday plans.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Petrus Golose, the city police cyber crime division chief. He lives with his family in Pejaten, South Jakarta:

Nothing is particularly special about this year's Christmas, except that it has been 2004 years since Jesus Christ was born. As an officer, I will not be taking any holiday except for Dec. 25 that I shall spend with my family.

I will go to my church along with my family, of course. But I haven't decided when we will go to the service; it could be on Christmas Eve or maybe on Christmas morning.

My family doesn't plan to have a party to celebrate Christmas.

Betrix, 25, is an urban issue's activist . He lives with his family in South Jakarta:

I don't celebrate Christmas and I'm not taking a long holiday either, except for Christmas Day. I have to leave town on Dec. 26 to work.

As a citizen, I have been very worried about the travel warnings that have been issued by several foreign governments. I have decided not to go to malls and will just stay home during Christmas Day to avoid anything bad that might happening.

Frankly, I don't trust the police or the military. I don't think their intelligence could prevent bombings despite travel warnings.

I have learned from the Christmas bombings in 2000. The military and the police had received warnings about the bombings from foreign governments, but they didn't pay much attention (to these warnings). And then, boom!

-- The Jakarta Post