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IS fears in Southeast Asia mount as Malaysia arrests 14

Diocesan official calls spread of militant ideology 'worrying'
IS fears in Southeast Asia mount as Malaysia arrests 14

Malaysian religious students study the Quran in a Kuala Lumpur mosque in this AFP file photo. Malysia police arrested 14 suspected Islamic State militants over the weekend. (Photo by AFP)

Published: May 23, 2016 09:23 AM GMT
Updated: May 23, 2016 09:27 AM GMT

Malaysia's battle against the spread of Islamic State (IS) ideology has revealed that despite a high-profile crackdown, new recruits are aplenty. 

Police at the weekend detained 14 more individuals believed to be linked to the group that calls itself the Islamic State. The new arrests came after 15 people, who police say planned to launch attacks in Malaysia, were arrested in March. 

At least 160 people have been arrested in Malaysia since January 2015 on suspicion of being involved in militant activities.

The latest suspects were caught in an anti-terror sting during an ongoing operation to clamp down on the spread of militancy, deputy police chief Noor Rashid Ibrahim said May 21.

The increasing number of arrests of people allegedly linked to the militant group was both calming and worrying, Father Lawrence Andrew, editor of the Catholic Herald in Malaysia, told ucanews.com.

(It shows) "the government is doing its best to ensure that budding terrorists are being checked and taken in for questioning," he said.

"They are helping them [would-be militants] realize that the journey they are taking is not the best for their own good … for their welfare and the country’s."

Father Lawrence said the fact that such ideology was spreading, although not yet believed to be extensive, was a cause for concern.

"Yes it [militancy] is mushrooming here and there but while it is not pervasive it is certainly worrying … not only for Christians but for all since destroying any person is worrying for us as Christians.

Referring to the Easter Sunday bombing in Lahore, Pakistan, that killed at least 72 people he said: "Destroying anyone is tantamount to killing … killing violates the sacredness of life and goes against the law of God. In that sense it is worrying."

The operation at the weekend was conducted by counter-terrorism officials in Kuala Lumpur and five states on the peninsula (Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Perlis and Johor).

Noor Rashid described the suspects as local residents between 22- and 49-years-old.

"Eight suspects detained in Kuala Lumpur, Perlis, Perak, Selangor and Johor were suspected of involvement in channeling funds to IS militants and Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the southern Philippines," he said in a May 21 statement.

Police believe all were in contact with a Malaysian IS militant who is in Syria who is using networks to tap into sympathizers in Malaysia.

One of the suspects was described as a relative of the man suspected of soliciting funds for militants in Syria.

Two suspects are alleged to have use their Facebook accounts to promote militant ideology while two others allegedly planned to enter Syria to join IS militants in July and August last year.

The lone female suspect detained in the operation was working as a waitress in the federal capital and was suspected of planning to join them in Syria.

Another suspect allegedly used his home as a meeting place to promote the cause of the IS.

Malaysia has been on high alert since IS-linked militants carried out a deadly attack in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Jan. 14.

In March, Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police had foiled an IS plot to kidnap Prime Minister Najib Razak and other senior ministers last year.

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