Arrest of three a ‘misunderstanding’

THE neighbours of the three Malaysians arrested in Manchester on Monday may have called the police because they were suspicious about gatherings held at the students’ apartment. The Malaysian high commissioner to the UK says the academic meetings had never been an issue until the May 22 suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena.

LONDON: THE three Malaysian students who were questioned by the Greater Manchester Police in relation to the Manchester bombing held group gatherings at their residence almost every Friday.

Their nondescript gatherings, however, could have spooked neighbours into thinking that something sinister had taken place at the students’ rented house following the suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena and they may have called in the police to investigate.

This, according to Malaysian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Datuk Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi, was what led to police swooping into the neighbourhood and arresting the three students.

“I believe it was all a misunderstanding. Whatever it is, the fact that the students were released (after almost 3½ hours of questioning) shows they are not connected to the terror attack.”

Rasidi said the students were actively involved in the Independent School of Thinkers, an academic discourse group which frequently held their discussions on Fridays.

“They discuss common issues, including academic topics during the gatherings, which often attract between 10 and 15 people.

“It has never been an issue... however, after the suicide bombing, residents may have alerted the police to the gatherings and this had led to the arrest and questioning,” he said, adding that it was all due to the increased anxiety caused by the bombing on May 22 that killed 22 people.

Rasidi said police had questioned the students as part of their investigations into the bombing.

However, he expressed regret over the heavy-handed manner police conducted themselves during the raid.

“They raided the apartment on Monday evening and arrested the students. They were then taken to the Longsight police station for questioning and released after about 3½ hours.”

He said the students, who were traumatised by what had happened, were “of good character and law-abiding” individuals.

He said the Malaysian High Commission here and Education Malaysia London were aware of the group's activities.

On how the students were coping, Rasidi said they were being looked after by fellow Malaysian students for the time being as their apartment had been sealed by police.

“The police have given an assurance they will compensate the students for any damage caused in the raid.”

Rasidi also said the incident had been blown out of proportion by the local press here.

He said the information in the newspaper reports in the UK was inaccurate.

“I want to make it clear that what was reported in The Times, that these students may have been involved in certain groups, is not true.

“They have built up a theory that the students may have met the suicide bomber at a mosque and all that.

“This is not true... we have also interviewed the students and they have said they never met or knew of the suicide bomber.”

Rasidi said even the police had questioned the students and “I suppose that they are quite convinced and confident they (the students) are telling the truth. That’s why they were released.”

Rasidi urged the students’ parents in Malaysia not to worry about their children as the High Commission was looking after their welfare and monitoring the activities of all Malaysian students in the UK.

“The education and government agencies often engage with the students to remind them to abide by local law and regulations. We know that these students are innocent,” he said. By Haliza Hashim-Doyle

Page 1 pic: A screenshot of The Times online report on the three Malaysian students who were arrested by the Greater Manchester Police. The Malaysian high commissioner says the report is not true.