Russia warns Thailand of 'imminent Islamic State attack'

Bangkok: Russia has warned Thailand of an imminent attack by Islamic State militants who it said is planning to stage a Paris-style attack, mainly targeting Russian citizens in the south Asian country.

In its warning, Russia's state security agency said that 10 Syrians linked to the Islamic State group could stage attacks in Thailand.

Thailand's police deputy spokesman Col. Songpol Wattanachai confirmed the authenticity of the memo, dated Nov. 17 and marked "urgent" and "confidential", mentioning the intelligence warning.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said that 10 Syrians linked to IS have entered Thailand in the second half of October, and some of them went to Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.

Earlier, the Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for bringing down a Russian jetliner over Egypt's Sinai region in October, describing it as retaliation for Russian airstrikes in Syria.

Thailand's Pattaya and Phuket seaside resorts are popular with foreign tourists, and Pattaya is especially popular with Russians.