10 suspects from two terrorist cells held

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Police detained 10 suspected terrorists, from two different cells, who planned to launch attacks at entertainment centre in Melaka and also a country in the Middle East.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects were nabbed during operations by the Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division of the the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Terengganu, Melaka, Kelantan and Penang from Aug 11-31. 

In a statement today, he said, five of the suspects , aged between 18 and 50, were from the terrorist cell known as ‘Ar Rayah’ and they were arrested in operations conducted between last aug 25 and 31 in Melaka, Kelantan and Penang.

"The main suspect of the cell had planned to launch smoke bomb attack at entertainment outlets in Melaka,” he said, adding that the attack was aimed at raising panic and anxiety among patrons there.

He said the 50-year-old suspect  was foreigner who operated a restaurant and a member of a terrorist group from a Southeast Asian country who promoted its struggle through the ‘Ar Rayah Member’ Whatsapp chat group.

He said the suspect also influenced members of the group to donate funds for the terrorist group to buy firearms and ammunition.

Mohamad Fuzi said the other five suspects were from the terrorist cell known as ‘Asoib’ or 'Youth from the East'  and there were detained in operations conducted in Selangor, Pahang, Johor and Terengganu.

He said the group gave wrong interpretation of the hadith regarding Imam Mahadi.

The suspects, aged beween 39 and 53, were planning to join a terrorist group from a country in the Middle East to launch an attack on another country bordering it, he said.

"This cell will be supplied with various weapons by the terrorist group as soon as they arrived there," he added.

He said a member of the Asoib group had left for the Middle East to prepare and coordinate the attack. 

There were arrested on suspicion of committing an offence under Chapter VIA - Offences relating to violence, the Penal Code (Act 574) and would be investigated according to procedures under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Act 747), he added.

-- BERNAMA