A memo has been sent out to all members of Ontario鈥檚 provincial police force, cautioning about the threat posed by Islamic State, 麻豆传媒 has learned.
Sgt. Peter Leon confirmed to 麻豆传媒 that a memo was distributed to all Ontario Provincial Police officers, but said the statement will not be publicly released.
According to Leon, the memo is a sign of how important it is for officers to be armed with the 鈥渂est information鈥� about the militant extremist group.
"It shows the seriousness of what is happening around the world, and how important it is for officers to be equipped with the best information, with a focus on their safety," he said.
The memo, issued earlier this week, comes days after an ISIS spokesperson released new audio which encouraged the group's supporters to attack citizens from a number of Western nations, including Canada.
In the recording, ISIS encourages attacks on anyone whose country is taking place in the campaign against the extremist group, regardless of they're civilians or in the military.
Canada is taking part in a non-combat role in the U.S.-led coalition to fight ISIS, which has seized large portions of Syria and Iraq. ISIS says its aim is to create an Islamic state or caliphate in the region.
The U.S. launched its first airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria last Tuesday, in conjunction with five Middle Eastern countries. More airstrikes were underway Saturday.
In recent days, more than 100,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey in a bid to escape ISIS. The group has also claimed responsibility for three recent beheadings of U.S. and U.K. citizens that were working in the region.
