Nine terror suspects detained, seven deported over alleged link to Al-Qaeda
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian authorities have deported six Egyptians and a Tunisian to their home countries on March 5 as their presence here could threaten the national security.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the seven foreigners were among nine individuals detained in several operations carried out by the Special Branch’s CounterTerrorism division in the Klang Valley and Sarawak, between Feb 2 and 9, and suspected to be involved in terrorist groups.
The other two arrested were Malaysians.
He said the operations were carried out following information obtained from several foreign intelligence agencies over the presence of several foreign terrorist fighters suspected of being members of the Ansar AlShariah Al-Tunisia, a part of AlQaeda terror group. “As the presence of these foreigners in Malaysia could threaten the national security, the suspects have been deported to their home countries under Section 9 (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 on March 5,” Mohamad Fuzi said in a statement yesterday.
He said the suspects would also be blacklisted for life from entering Malaysia.
“The five Egyptians detained admitted that they are members the Muslim Brotherhood Al Ikhwanul Muslimin who acted as facilitators in providing lodging, transportation, employment and help purchase airline tickets to two Ansar Al-Shariah Al-Tunisia members,” said Mohamad Fuzi.
He was referring to the arrest of two members of the terrorist group, an Egyptian and a Tunisian, aged 21 and 22, in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 4.
Two days earlier, on Feb 2, police detained six suspects in several raids, namely, an Egyptian man, a local man and a woman, all three aged 20 to 54, in Serian, Sarawak; an Egyptian man, 42, in Setapak; and two Egyptian students, aged 24 and 28, in Bukit Bintang and Seri Kembangan, Selangor.
On Feb 9, police detained a 50year-old Egyptian man, an Arabic teacher, in Ampang, Selangor.
He said those arrested during the operations in February were investigated in accordance with the procedure under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Act 747).
The investigations by Special Branch’s Counter-Terrorism division also revealed that foreign terrorist fighters were trying to make Malaysia a ‘safe haven’, a transit point and a logistics hub by sneaking into the country through various means, he said.
“The presence of foreign terrorists in the country should be taken seriously especially following the defeat of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq,” he said.
Their presence, he said, could also lead Malaysia to become the launch pad for terror attacks in the country or the region. Bernama