Police arrest 7 terror suspects who planned attacks on non-Muslim houses of worship

PETALING JAYA: Police have nabbed seven suspected terrorists in Sabah and Johor, who were planning to carry out multiple attacks throughout the country.

In operations held between Feb 27 and March 15, the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division carried out raids and arrested these men.

Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, said that six of the suspects who were apprehended in Johor were part of an Islamic State cell and had planned attacks on non-Muslim houses of worship.

Fuzi added that these men were also plotting to kidnap and kill police personnel.

"The first three suspects were arrested on February 27, a 37-year-old technician who was arrested is said to be the mastermind behind the planned attacks of these houses of worship in Johor," he said. "He was also involved in recruiting new militants."

Fuzi said that a second suspect was a 49-year-old security guard and adviser to the terror cell, who was responsible for making sure the members of the cell stayed silent.

"If they were found to be leaking secrets, he threatened to kill them," he said.

"The third suspect, a 30-year-old security guard, was tasked with acquiring firearms from a neighbouring country.

"He also scouted several houses of worship targeted by the terror cell," Fuzi said in a statement on Saturday.

The IGP added that the suspects planned to escape to a neighbouring country after their attacks, to seek refuge from a terror group there.

Fuzi said the three other suspects, aged 25, 23 and 22, were also arrested and were part of the same cell.

"One of them – a 25-year-old waiter – was arrested on Feb 28 and we learnt that the mastermind had ordered him to kidnap and kill police personnel.

"Two others, aged 23 and 22, were arrested on March 1 and were working as janitors in Singapore. One of them acted as the intermediary in the purchase of firearms for the cell," he added.

Meanwhile, in the operations carried out in Sabah on March 15, police apprehended a 31-year-old man who reportedly belongs to the Abu Sayyaf terror group, and suspected of being the right hand man to Furuji Indama, who is the leader of the Abu Sayyaf terror cell in the southern Philippines.

"We believe the suspect has connections to Malaysian militant Dr Mahmud Ahmad and is also wanted by Philippines' authorities for involvement in a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate," Fuzi said.

He added that the suspect was an expert at making improvised explosive devices.

"He also planned to attack several locations in Sabah and was entrusted to make the state a safe haven for terror groups from the Philippines," he said.