Malaysians involved in terrorist activity charged in court

KUALA LUMPUR: A painter who went to Syria to capture the regime's cruelty on canvas instead participated in the war and was jailed 12 years by the High Court yesterday for supporting terrorist activities.
High Court judicial commissioner Datuk Nordin Hassan ordered the jail sentence on Mohammad Fauzee Ahmad, 48, to run from the date of his arrest on Oct 27, 2014. The accused has been in remand for the past two years.
"We do not want your action such as having a weapon or explosives or your stories (about Syria) to influence others to participate," said Nordin.
Taking judicial notice that terrorism has spread all over the world and could spread to Malaysia, he said in order that such a situation does not occur in Malaysia, the court will give a (strong) signal to future offenders.
Mohammad Fauzee admitted to entering Syria to give support to the commission of terrorist activities, involving weapons and explosives, between June 19 and Sept 18, 2014.
According to the facts of the case, the accused played a role in guarding the "Ajnad Al Syam" group terrorists' housing area, participated in military training and was supplied with an AK-47 machine gun.
Fauzee was a painter at Souq at Masjid Putra in Putrajaya since 2005 and he is married with four children.
He was represented by lawyer Eric Paulsen while DPP Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam appeared for the prosecution.
Meanwhile, in BALIK PULAU, a tour guide was charged with terrorism financing in the magistrates court's yesterday.
Lisoffuan Abdullah, 37, was accused of helping manage the financial affairs of Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, 41, between Oct 21, 2015, and April 29, 2016, by allowing the terrorist to benefit from the deposits and withdrawals of a bank account.
The offence under the Penal Code provides for a maximum 20-year prison sentence or with fine and be liable to the forfeiture of any property dealt with, on conviction.
Lisoffuan nodded his understanding when the charge was read to him. No plea was recorded before magistrate Nor Azzuin Abd Moati who did not offer bail and fixed July 14 for mention.
DPP Shafiq Mahadi prosecuted the case while the accused was unrepresented.