ISIS Tried To Kidnap Najib But PDRM Saved Him, Says Zahid Hamidi
The Islamic State apparently attempted to kidnap PM Najib Razak sometime early last year.
By Tang Ruxyn — 08 Mar 2016, 01:34 PM — Updated over 8 years ago
World terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) wanted to kidnap Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak early last year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi disclosed in today's Parliament session
The militant group, also known as Daesh, has also targeted a few ministers, said Zahid in his capacity as home minister.
"On Jan 30, 2015, a total of 13 people with ties to Daesh had planned to kidnap the leaders, including home minister (Zahid) and Defence Minister (Hishamuddin Hussein)," he said at the Dewan Rakyat today.
malaysiakini.com
“Although there is no proper Daesh (Isis) establishment in the country, those who were here were being influenced and have been receiving orders from the network in Syria."
“We detected plans to attack several locations in Kedah, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, attempt to rob of firearms from army camps, making of explosions, robbing cash-in-transit vans as well as plot to kidnap the country’s leaders for ransom,” he said.
However, these kidnap attempts failed as the Malaysian police force's anti-terrorism unit intervened, and prevented four other incidences of attacks in Malaysia by the ISIS, Zahid added
He said this in a reply to Datuk Abdul Manan Ismail (BN-Paya Besar) who asked the Home Ministry to state the success of police in preventing terrorist attacks planned by IS in the country.
In September 2014, there was a plan by the group to test improvised explosive devices in Kedah.
Other attempts included attacking places of worship, and entertainment outlets in the country.
"They also wanted to destroy the Free Mason Lodge in Bukit Jalil," Zahid said.
Last November, several media reported that the a number of high-level Malaysian politicians were on the ISIS's kidnap list because they wanted to demand the release of their militants detained in Malaysia
According to Malaysian intelligence, two soldiers of an ISIS cell who were arrested and charged early last year drew up an elaborate plan to lead the kidnapped leaders to a secluded spot in the Klang Valley.
They would video record their capture. After making the demand for the release of their comrades, they would identify a secure place for the prisoner exchange to take place.
The terror network was not out to seek a ransom, only the release of their detained comrades, Malaysia's Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayob Khan revealed.
Earlier in July, IGP Khalid said that PM Najib Razak and his Cabinet Ministers are targets of the Islamic terror group: