Indonesian police ramp up suspect search after IS-linked attack

Indonesian police were searching for more suspects Friday after two militants from an Islamic State-linked terror group stabbed the chief security minister, as the politician recovered in hospital following emergency surgery.

Wiranto, a 72-year-old former army chief, was stabbed twice in the stomach as he left his vehicle in Pandeglang on Java island on Thursday.

The assassination attempt comes shortly before President Joko Widodo begins his second term as leader of the Southeast Asian archipelago of 260 million people, the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.

On Thursday, Widodo ordered the national police and intelligence agency chiefs to pursue other suspects in the attack and the extremist network allegedly behind it.

"An attack like this should set off alarm bells for security personnel to increase their caution," said Ridwan Habib, a terrorism researcher at the University of Indonesia.

On Friday, Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was in hospital following surgery and reportedly recovering.

"I visited him earlier today. He could talk but still looked weak," presidential chief of staff Moeldoko, who goes by one name, told AFP on Friday.

"He remains in intensive care."