20 Indonesian maids on Hong Kong police watch list over ISIS links: Report

A migrant worker employed as a domestic maid speaks on her phone as shopfront signage is seen reflected on windows along a public walkway in Hong Kong's Central district on August 13, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

HONG KONG - Hong Kong police are monitoring about 20 Indonesian domestic workers out of a list of 43 that a think tank said recently were linked to Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), South China Morning Post reported on Sunday (Aug 13) .

The rest had left Hong Kong, the daily said, citing a source with knowledge of the police probe.

Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (Ipac) had said in a study released last month that at least 50 female workers in East Asia had taken part in extremist discussion groups.

Of the number, 43 were currently working or had worked in Hong Kong, the think tank said.

Hong Kong police contacted most of those still in the city for interviews, SCMP reported on Sunday, citing its source. They found that the workers had no direct connection to ISIS. They supported certain religious ideologies of the the extremist group but did not show violent intent.

"Even though they were only sympathisers, the police will still be keeping an eye on them," the source was quoted as saying.

SCMP also reported Indonesia's top diplomat in the city, Tri Tharyat, as saying separately that his consulate had intensified efforts to stop Indonesians in Hong Kong from becoming radicalised.

He claimed his consulate had established a sound working mechanism with Hong Kong officials to fight terror.

"My part is to make the best efforts to minimise and if possible to make sure zero Indonesians are affiliated with and influenced by the (extremist) groups," the diplomat said.

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