REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, COLOMBO -- The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that the security forces have been placed on full alert to identify if there are Islamic State (IS/ISIS) terrorist members operating in Sri Lanka.

A statement by the Ministry of Defence said that it has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of Defence that some recently-published media reports indicated the presence of Islamic State (IS) terrorist members in the country and their alleged links with the ISIS organization.

"Security forces and all intelligence wings wish to give a categorical assurance that they are on full alert to the possibilities of such links or emergence of IS groups round the clock as it is the prime responsibility of the Security Forces and National Intelligence,"the MOD statement said.

The Ministry of Defence also noted that revelations in the media, some with vital and sensitive information, often tend to become counterproductive and could jeopardize the efforts to identify such elements.

The Ministry of Defence said the situation is in no way a cause for alarm or panic. However, the Ministry of Defence refused to divulge any information related to IS in Sri Lanka as such intelligence is yet to be analyzed, evaluated and properly established.

Local media reported this week that at least 36 Sri Lankans had gone to Syria recently and some of them have joined the Islamic State.

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