KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — The police have said action cannot be taken against Islamic State (IS) sympathisers, estimating there are over 200 of them but saying there is no evidence linking them to the militant group.

Bukit Aman counter-terrorism division principal assistant director Datuk Ayub Khan Mydin Pitchay told local daily New Straits Times in an interview that the number of sympathisers “could easily surpass 200” and that they could comprise professionals, teachers, civil servants, artistes, and private sector workers.

“We cannot do profiling on sympathisers because there is no evidence linking them with IS,” Ayub was quoted saying by the English language daily.

He stressed that “anybody could be a sympathiser” and that the police have to not only monitor organisations or groups, but individuals as well.

Ayub said the number of suspects arrested since February 2013 stands at 107, of whom 92 are locals, 12 Indonesians, two Iraqis and one from Saudi Arabia.

The official number of Malaysians in Syria is 63 but the police believe the number has exceeded 80, and more are expected to leave this year, he added.

He also said that so far, about four or five Malaysians who are “IS terrorists” have uprooted their families to live in Syria in the past two to three months.

“Once they have settled down there, they will start influencing their family members here to join them. This is done through the Internet,” he said.

Ayub also said his counterterrorism officials give talks at schools, mosques and universities.