By P. Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR (AA) - The Malaysian police have detained six locals, including two women, over suspected involvements in activities by the terrorist group Daesh.
In confirming this, Police Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar said the federal police's counter-terrorism unit nabbed the six individuals via special operations nationwide within a month from March 24.
"The six individuals are aged 25-41. They are believed to have committed crimes under the Penal Code and will be investigated according to procedures under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012," Bakar said in a statement today.
The police are also pursuing one more suspect who is currently believed to be in Southern Thailand, Bakar said in a statement today.
Two males, aged 26 and 41, were arrested in the eastern state of Kelantan, on suspicion of being involved in smuggling firearms to Malaysia from Southern Thailand to be used by Daesh terrorists.
"The final suspect, aged 27, that the police are hunting has escaped to Southern Thailand. He is believed to be involved in the same gang as the two accused in Kelantan," said Bakar.
Bakar said that the second arrest was made on April 4 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport where a 26-year-old female suspect was apprehended upon her arrival from Turkey.
She had travelled to Turkey last August to join Daesh terrorists in Syria and was arrested by Turkish authorities in February as she was awaiting further instructions from Malaysian-born Daesh leader Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, according to the police.
No further details on her case were given.
Two more suspects were arrested in Malacca and Johor -- a 41-year-old male suspect who had been involved in Daesh activities in Syria and a 32-year-old woman over the online promotion of the militant group's propaganda through Google Plus.
The last suspect was arrested in Penang on April 25 over the promotion of Daesh material through Facebook.