BEKASI, Indonesia (AP) _ Following rumors that Indonesian Christians were conducting a mass baptism, hard-line Islamic leaders have urged mosques to create a youth guard to stop conversions.

On Saturday, around 100 young men turned out in a suburb of Jakarta wearing martial arts uniforms.

While the youths were unarmed, a local leader of the Islamic Defenders Front said the goal was “to strike fear in the hearts of Christians.”

He added, “If they refuse to stop what they’re doing, we’re ready to fight.”

A leader of the Communion of Indonesian Churches has demanded government protection, but officials so far have remained mostly silent.