PDRM Warns Of More Terror Attacks In Malaysia
"... with the Movida bombing it's clear they have the connection and ability to get weapons from neighbouring countries and that is our main concern now."
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 17 Aug 2016, 10:56 AM
In light of recent events, Malaysians have been warned of possible terror attacks as authorities believe that suspected terrorists in the country are still in possession of grenades
Special Branch counter-terrorism assistant director Ayob Khan Maidin Pitchay revealed this piece of information when speaking to Singaporean English news agency, Channel News Asia.
Ayob explained how the country first ever ISIS attack at the Movida nightclub in Puchong made the authorities realise that the ISIS followers here have the connections and ability to obtain weapons from neighbouring countries to conduct attacks.
"Before this, our assessment was that they don't have expertise to assemble IED (improvised explosive devices) because they were never trained. But with the Movida bombing it's clear they have the connection and ability to get weapons from neighbouring countries and that is our main concern now," said Ayob.
"Based on intelligence reports, we believe they had 10 grenades. One was used in the Movida attack, one we managed to recover in Johor. We have eight more still in the market," revealed Ayob.
ISIS' first attack on Malaysia happened on 28 June at the Movida Bar and Lounge in IOI Boulevard in Puchong
Image via Twitter/ ShrewdmindAyob added: "These grenades are very old - [they're the] 1967 model - but still lethal." Malaysian IS members based in Syria have been able to "remotely control" their followers and had successfully launched the first attack in Movida Puchong back in June using one of the grenades.
He said that the police believe at least eight grenades are still in the hands of terror suspects, who are possibly plotting more attacks on government offices, entertainment outlets, the army and police headquarters.
ibtimes.co.uk
Mohd Wanndy Mohd Jedi, a 27-year-old Malaysian ISIS member in Syria is believed to be the mastermind behind Malaysia's first ever ISIS terror attack
Mohd Wanddy is believed to have set up several terror cells in Malaysia.
"He will have one cell comprising 10 people in Cell A and maybe in Cell B there'll be 20. There is no connection between the two.
"If we arrest all in Cell A, they will not know about the existence of Cell B. He is using a new technique - it's almost impossible for you to identify them because they are all operating in different cells," said Ayob.
malaysiakini.com
Ayob said that the young Malaysian terrorist has been using his followers in Malaysia to collect funds to plan for more bloody terror attacks here
"It's not much, RM200 or RM50 from maybe 100 people, but with that money, they have managed to buy firearms like grenades," said Ayob, as reported by Channel News Asia, yesterday, 16 August.
Mohd Wanndy is not the only Malaysian ISIS terrorist with followers in Malaysia
'Some of the 12 suspects linked to the Isis militant group being lined up by the Malaysian police anti-terrorism unit.'
Image via PDRM via International Business TimesAyob said that there are other Malaysians with ISIS in Syria that have been ordering their local followers to conduct lone wolf attacks on locals.
According to Ayob, the auhorities arrested a 17-year-old that has received such orders. The teenager is from Sandakan, Sabah.
"He had instructions asking him to carry out a lone wolf attack," (The instructions were for him to) go and get a knife and kill a non-Muslim in Sandakan - that's the main reason he was arrested," Mr Ayob told Channel NewsAsia.
"It's not the first time. We arrested two before this. One was a 16-year-old boy we arrested in Sungai Petani who was going to slaughter a Chinese lady, the other a 17-year-old boy. He was a cell leader planning to carry out a bomb attack in Klang Valley," added Ayob.
"In terms of ideology, they are very strong and committed. They lack expertise, but when they have the expertise, we will have a bigger problem. It's no longer about the religion. If you're not with them, they will kill you," opined Ayob.
In November 2015, Malaysian ISIS militants in Philippines revealed their plans to start an ISIS faction in Southeast Asia by joining terror groups from Malaysian, the Philippines and Indonesi
Image via Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism DivisionSince 2013, Malaysia has arrested nearly 240 terror suspects. Mr Ayob said the number keeps increasing year by year.
Authorities believe more than 110 Malaysians have left for Syria since 2013 to join IS and 21 were confirmed to have been killed there. Eight have returned and are undergoing rehabilitation.
Counter-terrorism expert Noor Huda Ismail said the government's move has led some to become suicide bombers as a way out of the ordeal.
"I met some IS militants from Malaysia," she said. "They were missing home, but could not come back so some chose the shortest path, which was to blow themselves up and become martyrs.