Five sought for militant activities

KUALA LUMPUR :A 36-year-old Universiti Malaya lecturer is among five individuals sought by police for suspected militant activities in the country.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today three of the five men are suspected to have conducted militant training for Malaysian youths they had lured into their group and facilitated their departure to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Syrian civil war.
He said the other two men are believed to be members of the Darul Islam Sabah militant cell, but of late joined the notorious Abu Sayaf militant group in south Philippines.
Khalid said all five men are believed to have fled Malaysia and are holed up in south Philippines.
He said police have identified Dr Mahmud Ahmad@Abu Handzalah of Batu Caves as the Universiti Malaya lecturer they are looking for. Dr Mahmud has been a UM staff since June 8, 2011.
Khalid said the academician, who is married, was attached to Islamic Studies Academy faculty.
The others sought are: Mohd Najib Husen@Abraham of Petaling Jaya, 36, married and ran a stationery store at Universiti Malaya; Mohd Joraimee Awang Raimee@Abu Nur of Batu Cave, 39, married and was a staff of the Selayang municipal council secretariat; Unemployed Mohd Amin Baco@Amin of Tawau, 31, married; General worker Jeknal Adil@Jek of Tawau, 30, a bachelor.
Police have urged those with information on the five men to contact the investigating officer of the case Inspector Mohd Hazil Azhar at 011-21046850 or the Special Branch counter-terrorism unit at 03-22667010.
Meanwhile, UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Mohd Amin Jalaludin, in a statement today, said disciplinary action has been taken against Dr Mahmud under Regulation 24, Public Officers Regulation (Conduct and Discipline) 1993 for being absent from work since four weeks ago, after all efforts to contact him have failed.
On Mohd Najib, Datuk Mohd Amin said he is not a member of UM staff.
He said UM will give their full cooperation to the police to help them in their investigation.