Daesh militants planning car bomb attacks in Malaysia: Khalid

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have arrested a local man and an Indonesian national who allegedly received orders to launch attacks in Malaysia by using large-scale car or truck bombs.
The duo were among seven men arrested for suspected involvement in militant group activities in raids conducted between Feb 21 and 26 around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (pix) in a statement said four Yemenis and another man from East Asia were also arrested in the operation conducted by Bukit Aman Counter Terrorism Special Branch.
The 41-year-old Malaysian factory technician and 28-year-old Indonesian farmer, who were Daesh militant group members were arrested in Kepong on Feb 21.
"Through interrogations it was revealed that they received instructions from Mohamad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi to launch attacks with bombs also known as 'Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) in Malaysia before slipping out of the country to join Daesh militants in Syria," said Khalid.
The statement, however, did not state when the order was issued or the dates of the attacks.
According to Khalid, the Indonesian national was deported from Turkey in June 2016 after he was caught trying to enter Syria to join Daesh militant group.
The 37-year-old East Asian was arrested on Feb 23 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor as he was suspected to be from an East Asian militant group which used Malaysia as their transit point and hideout.
The man, who had entered Malaysia in 2011 using a fake student visa, was enrolled in a public institution of higher learning in the Klang Valley.
"Preliminary investigation confirmed that the suspect was in connection with another militant group member from East Asia involved in arranging group members' passage to Malaysia before going to Syria to join Daesh militants," said Khalid.
Khalid added that the four Yemenis detained on Feb 26 in Serdang and Cyberjaya were suspected to be insurgent group members in Yemen.
He said police also seized international passports and cash in various foreign currencies worth RM270,000.
Khalid said the seven were arrested on suspicion of committing offences related to terrorism under Chapter VIA of the Penal Code [Act 574].
They were also being investigated according to procedures under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Act 747).
One of them was also arrested under the Immigration Act 1959/63, he added. — Bernama