CAUGHT BEFORE HE COULD DO HARM
Bagan Serai man planned to attack non-Muslims, places of worship
HE was an associate of the country’s most wanted terrorist and received instructions on how to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a Saudi Arabian bomb-making expert.
In fact, he tried several times to make large-scale IEDs, in his home, but failed, and was in the process of trying to make another, larger device.
He had also received instructions from Malaysian Islamic State (IS) members in Syria to purchase weapons and ordnance from a neighbouring country to attack non-Muslims and their places of worship in Malaysia and Thailand, the New Straits Times has learned.
But none of his plans came to fruition as the 21-year-old jobless man was nabbed in a swoop by Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division (SB-CTD) operatives in Bagan Serai, Perak, last week.
In so doing, SB-CTD operatives foiled what could have been major attacks in Malaysia and Thailand by a lone wolf IS member here.
Sources said the would-be bomb-maker had tested out three IEDs at the back of his home, but all three failed to explode.
“He was making a fourth IED, this time larger, when he was arrested in Bagan Serai,” a source told the NST.
The man was the first of three people picked up last week by SBCTD members for their involvement in IS-related activities.
In a statement released yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the three were arrested between Sept 8 and 10 in Perak, Selangor and Melaka.
He said the man arrested in Bagan Serai also had links with the al-Qaeda and Abu Sayyaf terror groups.
“The man was arrested on Sept 8 in Bagan Serai, Perak.
“He had sworn his bai’ah (allegiance) to IS earlier this year.
“The suspect admitted that he had been taught by Dr Mahmud Ahmad (Malaysia’s most wanted terrorist) and a Saudi Arabian bomb expert on how to produce an IED on a large scale.
“He has tried to produce the bomb three times.
“The suspect received instructions from another senior Malaysian IS fighter in Syria to purchase a pistol, M16 and AK-47 assault rifles along with a hand grenade from a neighbouring country, and launch an attack on non-Muslims and their places of worship,” he said.
Police also seized chemicals believed to be part of the materials to produce the IEDs, said Fuzi.
Sources said though he had planned to launch attacks in Malaysia and Thailand, he had yet to identify specific targets.
Two days after the arrest of the man in Bagan Serai, police detained a 38-year-old cendol seller, who was actively promoting IS.
“He was arrested in Melaka on Sept 10 for producing IS flags and actively promoting the terror group.
“The suspect planned to join militants in the southern Philippines and Rakhine state in Myanmar,” said Fuzi.
The third suspect was arrested in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, also on Sept 10.
The 41-year-old bus driver was planning to travel to Syria at the end of the year to join IS there.
All three were detained under the Security Offences Act (Special Measures) 2012.