Indonesia says Isis militants plan cyanide attacks on security forces

Islamic state operatives could use cyanide to spread terror, inspired by the scandalous cyanide coffee murder in Jakarta.

Indonesian police have issued an alert against potential use of cyanide in terror attacks.

The country is expecting all forms of terror attacks and that includes cyanide poisoning of military and police personnel, Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said, local media reported.

"We've released a circular letter [for officers] to be more vigilant," Bekasi Police spokeswoman Puji Astuti said, Tempo reported.

The minister said Islamic state operatives could use cyanide to spread terror, inspired by the scandalous cyanide coffee murder in Jakarta recently.

"We have considered various forms of threats and we are prepared to face such a possibility (of cyanide poisoning)," Luhut said.

Indonesia's national police chief General Badrodin Haiti had issued a statement saying the police were in the possession of intelligence report that militants were drawing up a plan to lace officers' food with cyanide.

Indonesia has launched several crackdowns on suspected terror cells following the Jakarta attacks claimed by Isis in January.

The country became the focal point of Southeast Asia's fight against terrorism after the January 14 attack in Jakarta city centre showed affiliate cells of Isis could strike at will in an Asian city.

The police chief said the Jakarta attacks have shifted their strategy from monitoring terror sympathisers to launching active crackdowns.

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