KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police's
counter terrorism division has launched a manhunt for at least five
other members of the Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab who entered the
country as college students and tourists.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the hunt was to
ensure that Malaysia did not become a training ground for militant
groups.
We are hunting down several individuals. Some of them are married to
local women. They have not set up bases in this country but they share
the ideology, said Dr Ahmad Zaid(photo).
Dr Ahmad Zahid said the man was believed to have entered Malaysia
using student passes two years ago and studied in a private college. Malaysia has never compromised when it comes to militant activities.
This (efforts to hunt terrorists) is done continuously, he added.
- His comments came a day after a suspected Somali terrorist belonging to the Al-Shabaab group, which is active in Africa and the Middle East, was arrested in Selangor. The 34-year-old was also on the most wanted list Interpol.
- Deputy IGP Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said police were using all resources to search and detain the remaining members.
- "We are focused on capturing these dangerous people," he told The Star.
- According to a source involved in the operation, the counter terrorism unit had been closely monitoring a group of five Al-Shabaab members who had entered the country using altered passports and signed up as students of top private colleges and public universities using fake identities and documents.
So far, police have found no signs to suggest that Al-Shabaab had
been attempting to recruit Malaysians or forge any form of cooperation
with home-grown militants who were detained recently.
The arrest of the Somali man is not believed to be linked to the
arrest of 11 Malaysians for involvement with militant groups in Syria
and southern Philippines.
Source: Agency
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