Police in Malaysia have arrested five terrorists believed to be affiliated to the global terror organizations like ISIS, Al Qaeda, Filipino militant group Abu Sayyaf and Pakistani headquartered Lashkar-e-Taiba. The police said that the five arrested comprised of two Malaysians, a Pakistani, an Egyptian and a Middle Eastern man.
The five were detained in Selangor, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, and Sabah by counter-terrorism officers during several sting operations. However, the two Malaysians – a man and a woman – had allegedly channeled funds to their compatriot, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recruiter killed in a drone strike in Raqqa in 2017.
The terrorists arrested have been accused mainly of funneling funds to their respective terror organizations and as such their arrests mark a major milestone in decapitating terrorism in Malaysia and larger Southeast Asia where terror activities and violent extremism is gradually taking root.
Malaysia has arrested more than 420 terror suspects since 2013, and foiled plots aimed largely at launching attacks locally.
