Malaysian Police Arrest 10 Suspected of ’ISIL’ Links

Local Editor

Ten Malaysians had been arrested for fostering suspected links with "ISIL" and planning attacks in the country, police said.

Malaysia's national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said late Thursday that the 10 individuals were allegedly "planning to obtain weapons to launch attacks in the country and arrange logistics for Malaysians to join the "IS" ["ISIS"] in Syria."

He did not elaborate on details of the alleged attack plots.

The eight men and two women, aged between 24 and 42, were arrested Wednesday in various parts of the country, according to an official statement.

Among the 10 were a kindergarten teacher, a former interior designer and two civil servants. The remaining six suspects were members of state security forces, police said.

Furthermore, authorities said dozens of Malaysians had traveled to Syria to fight in the war there, and have warned of radicals returning home to stage attacks.
Over the past year, police had arrested numerous suspects whom they say were "ISIL" sympathizers plotting such attacks.

However, opposition lawmakers said authorities had been reluctant to share information regarding the arrests or provide details about potential terror threats.

Senior counter-terrorism official Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay declared in June that authorities had so far arrested 108 people who had suspected links to "ISIL" or were trying to travel to Syria or Iraq.

Malaysia has not seen any notable terror attacks in recent years. But concern had risen in the multi-faith nation over growing hardline extremist views and the country's potential as a militant breeding ground.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team