ISIS-linked Syrians in Thailand looking to attack Russians

Ten Syrians “related to” the Islamic State militant group entered Thailand in October and have headed for the tourist hubs of Phuket and Pattaya, as well as Bangkok, according to a leaked federal police document.

It said Moscow’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had told Thai police that the group of Syrians entered the country between October 15 and 31 potentially to target Russian interests.

Russian Federation began air strikes in Syria on September 30 and has stepped up attacks in recent weeks. A month later, a Russian passenger plane was downed by a bomb over the Sinai desert in Egypt killing 224 people, mainly Russian holidaymakers.

Khaleej Times reported that the Special Branch of Thailand that deals with security issues has circulated the document to other police units.

But Thailand’s national police chief Jakthip Chaikinda told reporters the “document was real”. “We received it from Special Branch”, said a police officers who handles global crime matters.

He declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

National police deputy spokesman Col. Songpol Wattanachai confirmed the authenticity of a leaked police memo mentioning the intelligence warning. “Everything is safe, rest assured”.

Since the middle of October more than 200 Syrians have entered Thailand. But he said Friday that the information is an unconfirmed intelligence report. He said the information was the first Thailand had received suggesting that IS-linked Syrians had entered the country.

The Thai capital was the site of a terrorist bombing in August that killed 20 people, but the attack was apparently unrelated to Islamic State.

That has heightened speculation of a link with supporters of the Uighurs, who say they face persecution in their homeland.

Thailand is a major holiday destination for Russian tourists, particularly during the peak Christmas and New Year holidays.

Corruption and the presence of transnational criminal groups had helped create “a dangerously permissive environment”, he said.

“Please be confident (in Thailand) – we won’t disregard the intelligence”.

Thailand’s three southernmost provinces bordering Malaysia are home to a large Muslim community, elements of which have waged an insurgency against the Buddhist-dominated Thai state for more than a decade.