Slowdown in M'sians joining IS: Cops

KUALA LUMPUR: The trend of Malaysians joining the Islamic State (IS) terror movement appears to have slowed in recent times following the assassination by drone of IS recruiter Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi.
Federal police Special Branch's Counter-Terrorism Division assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that although Malaysians beating a path to the IS doorstep may have slowed, it does not mean that the terror cell is not active.
"Just because it is slow, does not mean it is not active, maybe we can't detect those planning attacks," he said after giving a keynote address on terrorism at the "Pemikiran Ummah 1438/2017" symposium yesterday.
He informed that the IS have stated in the past that Malaysia is one of their targets so we must take precautions.
Ayob said that although Wanndy is gone other militants residing in Syria, such as Wan Mohd Aquil Wan Zainal Abidin, also known as "Akel Zainal", were believed to be active.
He said that the biggest challenge is 'lone wolf' terrorists who act by themselves and stressed that intelligence is very important in tackling this seemingly new threat of terrorism.
"If you see what is happening in Europe at the moment, they have the best technology, they have surveillance around the clock but still their authorities cannot detect these things. It is very hard to detect because anyone like these lone wolf terrorists can get into a lorry and crash into a place or building," he said.
He explained that lone wolves are those who get instructions from Syria but are not linked with local terror cells or any suspects, they are new recruits and carry these acts out alone.
Earlier, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz who launched the symposium said the city council had worked hand-in-hand with police to combat terrorism in the country.