Young militant planning armed attacks on non-Muslims arrested

KUALA LUMPUR: A 21-year-old jobless youth who was ordered by Daesh to launch armed attacks on non-Muslims and their places of worship here was among three suspected militants nabbed by the police Special Branch counter-terrorism division (CTD) last week.
The suspect had also built three improvised explosive devices (IED) or homemade bombs after learning bomb-making skills from a Saudi Arabia-based Daesh bomb expert and Malaysian militant Dr. Mahmud bin Ahmad@ Abu Handzalah, a former lecturer who is a leader of terrorist cells in South Philippines.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said today that apart from building bombs, the suspect had received orders from a senior Malaysian Daesh militant in Syria, to acquire hand grenades, pistols, assault rifles such as the AK-47 and M-16 from a neighbouring country for the purpose of carrying out armed strikes against non-Muslim Malaysians and their places of worship.
He said the suspect who was nabbed in Bagan Serai on Sept 8 and had only joined Daesh early this year was also in contact with the Al-Qaeda and the South Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf militants.
Mohamad Fuzi said the CTD raided the suspect's house and recovered chemicals meant for making IEDs.
He said in a separate case on Sunday, a 38-year-old cendol seller who had produced Daesh flags for distribution and to promote the cause of the militant group was held in Malacca.
The suspect was apparently was planning to either join the Daesh in South Philippines or militant groups in Rakhine, Myanmar.
On the same day, Mohamad Fuzi said a 41-year-old bus driver who was preparing to leave for Syria to join Daesh by year end was arrested in Petaling Jaya.
He said all three suspects are being held under laws of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).