By Winnie Kasmir and Rebecca Chong
Two Malaysians among 16 most wanted by ESSCom
SANDAKAN: Two Malaysian men suspected to be ISIS members are among 16 persons most wanted by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) for alleged involvement in criminal and militant activities in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
The Malaysians are Amin Baco @ Abu Akmad from Tawau and Dr Mahmud Ahmad @ Abu Hanadzlah.
In January this year, six more individuals were added to the most wanted list, totalling 16 to date.
The others listed in the ESSCom wanted list are Apo Mike @ Majan Sahidjuan, Natib Hajan @ Sawadjaan, Alden Badge @ Sayning, Berham Luthien @ Vietnam, Raden Abun, Idang Susukan, Las Panget, Marajan Asiri, Sangbas, Sabri Madrasul @ Salip Jul, Mujer Yadah, Tamin @ Sunju, Jul @ Jun Hasan, Hamsan Pakan @ Black Cobra.
ESSCom commander DCP Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the wanted list was updated every six months since June 2016, in which a total of 39 individuals had been listed.
“From the total, 21 had successfully been neutralised by the Philippines Security Force with collaboration from ESSCom Intelligence Unit,” he said.
Meanwhile, ESSCom had made several achievements in eliminating and detaining suspected threats in ESSZone last year, he said.
One of the achievements includes the arrest of four Indonesians believed to be foreign terrorist fighters in Sandakan on December 4, 2017. The suspects were arrested when they were attempting to enter Sulu, Philippines via an illegal boat.
Hazani also revealed that ESSCom had identified three militant groups that had been actively involved in kidnap-forransom.
He said ESSCom was also determined to eradicate smuggling activities by arresting and charging crossborder criminals and wipe out every illegal jetties along the ESSZone.
“ESSCom will establish sea check point and designated sea route starting next month to tackle the presence of illegal immigrants through operations such as Ops Gasak and integrated operation in collaboration with state and federal agencies.
“Besides that, in keeping ESSZone safe, ESSCom will also be monitoring and eradicating the criminals’ staging point, maintaining curfew order in ESSZone, as well as intensifying the cooperation with neighbouring countries and local maritime communities,” Hazani said this during ESSCom dinner with the media here on Sunday night.
During a dialogue session with the media, Hazani said that it was his dream to build more ESSCom security posts in ESSZone, especially in risky places with higher number of tourists.
He said that he would first study the effectiveness of existing posts, before making a proposal to the Federal Government.
He also thanked the media for their cooperation in channelling information to the public about the effort and work done by ESSCom so far.
Also present during the dinner were Head of Staff of ESSCom Operation Centre, Datuk Md Tahim Mohamad; Head of Staff of ESSCom Sea Operation, Admiral Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan; Head of Staff of ESSCom Air Operation, Datuk Abdul Razak Ahmad and Head of ESSCom Special Team, Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Madun.