Photo: The Star/ANN
KUALA LUMPUR: Wanted Malaysian IS militants hiding in southern Philippines are planning to form an "official" Islamic State faction in South-East Asia.
The region's IS faction is also planning to unite different terror cells in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
It will include among others the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and other terror groups in the region.
Integral in the plan is former Universiti Malaya lecturer Dr Mahmud Ahmad, who is high on the wanted list for his involvement with the IS along with his cohorts - sundry shop owner Mohd Najib Husen and former Selayang Municipal Council employee Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, 39.
Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayob Khan said Dr Mahmud, also known as Abu Handzalah, was actively training with the ASG as well as taking part in terror operations in the southern Philippines.
"Intelligence indicates that he was involved in two bomb attacks against the Philippines' army recently. "We believe the ASG regards him highly as an asset," he told The Star yesterday.
But SAC Ayob indicated Dr Mahmud was not content with just being involved with the ASG. His ultimate goal is to officially form the South-East Asian IS.
Ex-lecturer trained with al-Qaeda while studying "He has performed the bai'ah or the oath of allegiance on video but to form the South-East Asian cell of IS, Dr Mahmud has to travel to Syria and swear his allegiance in front of IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
"We discovered through intelligence sharing that going to Syria is his priority now," he said.
The same could be said for the different terror groups, especially the ASG, where the leaders had also sworn allegiance to Abu Bakr on video, added SAC Ayob.
"These groups are only seen as IS allies, and not an official IS cell," he said.
He added that if Dr Mahmud's plans came to fruition, it would spell even more danger to the region with the different terror groups operating under one banner.
"We are cooperating with other security forces in the region, especially the Philippines, to ensure that this will not occur.
"We believe that Dr Mahmud is trying different means to gain safe passage to Syria, including using fake identification documents and passports but we will remain vigilant," he said.
SAC Ayob said his division was committed towards combating any terror element be it foreign or domestic.
"Our priority is intelligence gathering to ensure that we are on top of any development concerning militant groups," he said.
"We are working with our counterparts in the Philippines to track down and capture Dr Mahmud and his accomplices."
SAC Ayob, who has been dealing with terrorism matters for more than 20 years, said it was not uncommon for militant scholars or academicians to become leaders like Dr Azahari Hussin and Noordin Mat Top to name a few.
The trio - Dr Mahmud, Mohd Najib and Joraimee - have been on Bukit Aman's wanted list since April 2014 following their escape to southern Philippines.
SAC Ayob urged anyone with information on militancy to contact the nearest police station or the counter-terrorism division at 03-2266 7010 or 011-2104 6850 or to e-mail CTD.E8M@gmail.com.
Malaysian police detaining a paramilitary member for his suspected involvement in a militant group linked to ISIS.
Former Internal Security Act detainee Mohd Lotfi Ariffin (L) has became the third Malaysian to die in war-torn Syria
PAS central committee member Nik Abduh Nik Aziz called Mohd Lotfi Ariffin a 'martyr'.
Abdul Samad Shukry Mohamad, believed to be the sixth Malaysian militant killed in Syria.
A family of five were among 14 suspects arrested in Shah Alam and Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for allegedly recruiting members to join the ISIS through social media
Malaysia's special branch counter terrorism division personnel arresting a datuk (far right) suspected of recruiting members for ISIS
A civil servant was arrested by the Royal Malaysian Police for suspected links to ISIS.
A 14-year-old Malaysian girl was arrested for attempting to head to Syria to join ISIS.
Earlier this year, a 14-year-old Malaysian girl was arrested for attempting to head to Syria to join the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS).
One of the two Malaysian citizens who wasspotted in an ISIS beheading video have been identified by Malaysian police's counter terrorism unit as Muhamad Wandy Muhamad Jedi.
Muhamad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi (L) was identified as one of the two Malaysians in an ISIS beheading video. The other is Mohd Faris Anwar.
Combination photo of Dr Mahmud Ahmad (left), a senior professor with Universiti Malaya Academy of Islamic Studies, and four other individuals who are wanted for investigations into their alleged involvement in militant activities.
Three suspected militants were detained by the Malaysian police for an alleged planned terror attacks on several landmarks in Kuala Lumpur.
They had planned the attacks as they felt that Malaysia was a secular and non-Islamic state.
T-shirts with ISIS themes being displayed openly at a shop in Bandar Baru Bangi in Selangor.
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/regional-isis-faction-unite-malaysia-indonesia-and-philippines-terror-cells
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.