Indonesians back from ISIS ranks pose threat

Dozens of Indonesians who joined Islamic State in Syria have returned home with combat experience and pose a major threat to the world’s biggest Muslim-majoritynation, the Indonesian police chief said on Monday.

Authorities are closely monitoring about 40 returnees and are concerned they could be linking up with existing networks to equip a new generation of radicals with the skills and equipment required to launch a major attack.

“We are getting in touch with them but they can evade our detection. We believe they are organising secretly and buildinginteractions with other (radical) networks,” said police chief Tito Karnavian.

At least 10 were in custody for questioning and the rest remained free, Karnavian said, adding there was no evidence of an imminent attack.

The vast majority of Indonesia’s 250 million people practise a moderate form of Islam. But the country has seen a recent resurgence in militancy, inspired in part by Islamic State. Authorities believe Islamic State has more than 1,200 followers in Indonesia and nearly 400 Indonesians have left to join the group in Syria.

Karnavian also said a worrying new trend was emerging of teens being radicalised online and lured into carrying outsmall-scale attacks.

“It’s more difficult (to track them) than existing networks...Because they are what are called lonewolves that are being radicalised online,” Karnavian said.