Indonesian police says on alert for possible IS attacks during Ramadan

A senior Indonesian police officer said on Monday that the authorities are on alert for possible attacks by Islamic State (IS) operatives in the country following a call by an IS leader to undertake so-called Jihad during the fasting month of Ramadan.

His remarks follows three attacks which took place Friday last week in France, Tunisia and Kuwait that have claimed tens of civilian lives.

Jakarta police chief Tito Karnavian said that the call to undertake Jihad was reportedly made on June 23 by an IS spokesperson, identified as Abu Muhammad Adhnani, on behalf of IS leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi.

"We regard that there was a link between the Jihad call and the attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait," Tito told reporters in his office here.

Citing intelligence information, Tito said that the IS network has a link with IS supporters in Indonesia that could lead to attacks similar to those that occurred in those three countries.

Police have identified communities that support IS ideology in several locations, Tito said.

He added that surveillance on those supporter groups were still underway. He, however, refused to provide further details on groups that are strictly monitored by the police. Endi