Myanmar probing reports of Islamic State threat against Suu Kyi

Myanmar authorities have launched an investigation after reports surfaced that there is a threat by the Islamic State group to kill State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and several other leaders.

The Myanmar Times quoted the Star, a Malaysian newspaper, as saying that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, his deputy, the country's attorney and police inspector general's, and a handful of cabinet ministers were listed along with Suu Kyi in a two-page letter headlined "IS threat".

Reports suggest that photocopied photographs of the targeted leaders were appended to the letter, which the Malaysian officials were attempting to determine the authenticity of.

The threatening letter was reportedly sent to a police station in Negri Sembilan, a state southeast of Kuala Lumpur.

U Zaw Htay, deputy director general of Myanmar's President's Office, yesterday said the government was taking the threat seriously and would not be dismissive of the potential for harmful intent.

"We won't be careless about their threatening. But we also don't worry about the security of the state counsellor. The IS has always sent early messages in previous incidents, such as [attacks] in France and the US. Some have really played out, so we need to be alert about it," he said.

He added that the government collaborates with the international policing body Interpol and fellow ASEAN countries on potential threats posed by the ISIS.