Malaysia’s police chief said Saturday authorities had arrested four suspected Malaysian followers of the Islamic State terror group, including one who has confessed to planning to launch a suicide attack in the country.
Inspector General of Police
Khalid Abu Bakar, said the 28-year old man was picked up at a train station in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
“The suspect has confessed planning to launch suicide bombing in Malaysia after receiving orders from a foreign IS member in Syria,” he said in a statement.
The suspect is reported to have hung Islamic State flags in several locations across the country as a warning to the government against arresting elements of the group in Malaysia.
The other three suspects were detained last Monday at Kuala Lumpur International Airport following their deportation from Turkey.
Aged between 23 and 28 years old, the three, including a married couple, were detained in Gaziantep, Turkey on Nov. 15, 2015 by Turkish authorities for trying to slip into Syria to join Islamic State.
Khalid said the three were recruited by Muhammad Wanndy Bin Mohamed Jedi, alias
Abu Hamzah, a Malaysian who has joined the group in Syria, via Facebook and the chat application “Telegram.” Wanndy was instrumental in planning their trip to Syria.
Malaysia has been placed on high alert since Thursday’s terror attacks in Jakarta, Indonesia, which killed seven people, including the five perpetrators, and injured 26. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Like Indonesia, Malaysia is grappling with the rising influence of Islamic State. Scores of people have made their way to Syria and Iraq to fight for the group. Authorities noted that at least 17 of them had died there, of which six perished in suicide bombing missions.
The Malaysian police have thus far arrested more than 150 suspected followers.
==Kyodo
Category: Daily Witness, National
