JAKARTA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government has taken precautionary steps to prevent the possible return of hundreds of the country's citizens who have taken part in the IS activities in Syria and Iraq, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said on Thursday.
The statement came after the government refused to repatriate 689 Indonesian nationals, classified as foreign terrorist fighters, who have pledged allegiance to the IS group abroad, as their return are feared to spread "viruses" of radicalism at home.
"We have anticipated the possibility of (the return of the combatants)," Amin said at the Defense Ministry.
The government will carry out verification on the foreign terrorist fighters in a bid to prevent them from coming back to Indonesia, according to him.
The vice president pointed out that the precautionary measures include strengthening patrols and surveillance in border areas of the vast archipelagic country, primarily the sea waters shared by the country and the Philippines.
Indonesia has been stricken by a string of suicide bombings since years ago, involving women and children. The deadly attacks killed dozens of people and wounded scores of others.
