Malaysian police arrest 7 Daesh suspects

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR (AA) - Malaysian police have arrested seven people -- including four foreigners -- suspected of links to Daesh.

Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement that two of the four foreigners -- whose nationalities were not disclosed citing security reasons -- were students, the other two were factory workers.

"In September 2016, one of the foreigners was involved in an attempt to obtain sensitive information on the security of an international school in Kuala Lumpur," Abu Bakar said late Wednesday.

The seven were reportedly captured in separate operations nationwide between Nov. 3 and Dec. 16, and the foreigners were deported to their home countries Nov. 22-23.

Among the three Malaysian suspects are a 35-year-old furniture maker accused of being a Daesh cell member, a 24-year-old lorry driver suspected of making bomb threats against entertainment outlets in Kuala Lumpur over Facebook and a self-employed 24-year-old caught in the central state of Malacca.

Police believe that the self-employed man received orders from Malaysian-born Daesh leader, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, to launch attacks on entertainment centers in Malacca and the capital.

Bakar said police also believe that the local man had been trained by another Malaysian who joined Daesh in Syria -- Muhammad Nasrullah Abd Latif, also known as Abu Gomes -- to make improvised explosive devices.

All detainees are being investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, which allows for detentions without trial for up to 28 days, said Bakar.

Jedi, a Malaysian who goes by the assumed name Abu Hamzah al-Fateh, is suspected of involvement in Daesh's first attack in Malaysia on June 28 when eight customers at a Kuala Lumpur entertainment center were injured after a hand grenade was hurled towards them.

He is also suspected of recruiting locals to join the terror movement in Syria and of targeting Malaysia's senior political leaders, police and judges for future attacks.

As of last month, the Malaysian police had detained more than 230 terror suspects since 2013, including 200 locals as the force continues to remain vigilant as to the rising influence of Daesh-affiliated militant groups in the country.

Some 84 of those arrested have been charged with terror offences, 62 have been freed while dozens of others remain in custody under the Security Offences Act 2012 -- under which judges can extend the detention of terror suspects.

To-date, some 90 Malaysians have been identified as having involvement with Daesh in Syria.