Malaysian Police Detain 12 Indonesians for Alleged Involvement With Islamic State

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has confirmed that Royal Malaysia Police’s counter-terrorism unit has detained 12 Indonesians with alleged connections to the Islamic State.

“Royal Malaysia Police have issued a press statement on the arrest of 12 Indonesian citizens in Malaysia for allegedly being involved in terrorist activities,” said Yudha Nugraha, the director of citizen protection and legal aid at the foreign ministry.

Their arrests were made between July 10 and Sept. 25 in several locations in Sabah, Selangor, Sarawak, Penang, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur. Three Malaysians and an Indian national were also arrested.

According to the press statement, signed by the head of the counter-terrorism unit Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, a 25-year-old Indonesian was arrested on July 10. Eleven other Indonesians including a woman, aged 22 to 36, were captured between Sept.14 and 25.

The 25-year-old Indonesian, who was arrested in Sabah on July 10, has been working in Malaysia since early 2018 as a worker at an oil palm plantation. Malaysian police said he had taken the oath of allegiance to Abubakar al Bagdadi, the leader of IS, on a Telegram chat room.

He was arrested after assisting an Indonesian couple and their three children to go to Jolo in the Southern Philippines, where they committed suicide bombing in a church in December 2018.

“The suspect was also giving money to the Maute militant group in the Southern Philippines and had a plan to wage jihad in Syria,” the statement said.

According to Malaysian police, eleven other Indonesians have established a new IS cell in Malaysia which they have been promoting through social media.

“They have been actively recruiting new members from Indonesia and Malaysia… and were plotting attacks in both countries, where their number is growing,” the statement said.

Embassy Help

The Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has not received any notification from the Malaysian government regarding the arrest of the 12 Indonesians, Yudha said.

“The Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur will request councilor access to so we can meet all the Indonesian detainees and make sure they are given all their legal rights according to the local laws,” Yudha said in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

Source: Jakarta Globe