Slain Daesh leader mastermind behind attacks in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Police confirmed that Indonesian Daesh militant group leader Bahrum Naim, who was reportedly killed in a drone strike in Syria prior to Ramadan, had masterminded a series of foiled attacks in Malaysia.

Bukit Aman (federal police) Special Branch CounterTerrorism Division (E8) principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the 34-year-old man had plotted several attacks on places of worship and entertainment premises in Johor, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur back in 2015.

Bahrum was also said to have planned terrorist attacks in Indonesia and Singapore including a rocket attack plot on the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, he told Bernama when contacted here yesterday.

Ayob said Bahrum had also been involved in the online recruitment of a group, known as “Malhama Qubra”, in which he had recruited at least 26 Malaysians.

All new members of the group were detained in large-scale operations in Kedah, Selangor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur two years ago, he said.

According to Ayob, Bahrum had communicated with the group leader via Whatsapp and Telegram mobile applications, as well as Facebook.

He was a computer expert and had taught the recruits to make bombs via manuals which he had uploaded on Telegram, he added.

Bahrum was also said to be a good friend of Southeast Asia Daesh militant leader, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jed, who was killed in an attack last year.