45 FOREIGN TERRORISTS ARRESTED HERE
They were members of various terrorist groups worldwide
FORTY-FIVE terrorists have been arrested in Malaysia this year. Those detained were suspected of being members of various terrorist groups worldwide.
The majority of them (30) were Islamic State members, with three identified as southern Iraqi commanders.
The others comprise nine Abu Sayyaf members, three from the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (Feto), one an Albanian militant affiliated with IS, while another is linked to Bangladeshi terror group Jamaatul Mujahideen.
The arrests were made by the federal police’s Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division from January to Oct 6.
Thirteen have been brought to court, 12 were deported back to their respective countries, seven freed, and one detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015.
Twelve more are still under investigation.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, announcing the development yesterday, said the arrests were proactive measures taken by police after intelligence revealed that IS remnants had been instructed to infiltrate other countries to launch attacks after losing their bases in the battlegrounds of Iraq and Syria.
“Intelligence also confirmed that IS is cooperating with other terrorist groups, such as ASG and Jamaatul Mujahideen, which have sent their members to launch attacks in Malaysia,” he said.
Fuzi said Abu Sayyaf militants were sent to launch attacks in Malaysia, while other terrorists were seeking shelter, collecting funds and planning to either launch attacks here or use Malaysia as their base of operations.
“The police’s success in this operation was the result of robust cooperation with foreign intelligence and enforcement agencies in exchanging information.
“We will continue to monitor and take action against foreign terrorist fighters to ensure that all attacks are stopped,” he said.
Fuzi said police would continue to monitor and take preventive action against terrorists to ensure that any attempt to launch attacks in Malaysia could be repulsed.
“Efforts to tackle the threat posed by foreign terrorists are not simple, as they need cooperation between police and foreign enforcement and intelligence agencies.
“If these threats are not tackled effectively, they can jeopardise the security and public order in Malaysia.”