24-6-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian authorities have arrested eight individuals over the weekend for alleged links to the Islamic State (IS) militant group. The arrests, carried out through simultaneous operations across four states on Saturday and Sunday, have shed light on potential threats against the country’s highest officials and dignitaries.
Malaysia’s Home Minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, revealed during a press conference on Monday (June 24) that the six men and two women, ranging in age from 25 to 70, were apprehended in Kelantan, Johor, Penang, and Selangor. Among those detained was a former lecturer, suspected of harboring extremist and radical ideologies.
Initial investigations by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) have uncovered alarming threats directed towards the nation’s monarch, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, high-ranking dignitaries, and senior PDRM officials, according to the Home Minister.
The suspects hail from diverse occupational and economic backgrounds, including housewives and educated professionals, underscoring the pervasive nature of the threat posed by extremist ideologies.
Minister Saifuddin emphasized that the suspects will be held for 28 days under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, allowing authorities ample time to investigate the extent of their involvement and potential connections to wider networks.
When questioned about the possibility of the suspects being part of a larger network, the Minister acknowledged that while they shared a common ideology, their specific motivations stemmed from the conviction that the country’s leadership is not based on the caliphate system.
“It’s one ideology, one belief stemming from the conviction that the country’s leadership is not based on the caliphate system, for example,” Saifuddin stated. “When such conditions are not met, they justify actions to challenge the government; that’s among the signs of their group’s beliefs.”
The Malaysian government has reiterated its unwavering stance against extremism, radicalism, and violence within its borders. “There will be no compromise with anyone inciting, perpetrating, supporting or sympathising with extremism, radicalism and violence in this country,” Saifuddin asserted.
