Police Nab A Negeri Sembilan Girl And MARA Student Bound For Syria At KLIA
The 27-year-old girl was detained by police at KLIA a few days before they arrested the 22-year-old male student of Universiti Teknologi Mara. While she was headed to Syria to join her militant husband, whom she married via Skype, the boy was headed to allegedly become a suicide bomber.
Khalid Abu Bakar, the Inspector-General of Police, told reporters that the woman, a former private uni student from Negri Sembilan, is believed to have been influenced by Islamic State propaganda after watching YouTube videos on the terrorist group and then through interactions with one of its member on Facebook
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the first arrest on Dec 24 involved a 27-year-old woman from Negri Sembilan, who was a former private institution of higher learning student.
"The suspect was influenced to join the IS group in Syria after watching the group's propaganda video through YouTube and interacting with IS members via Facebook and was detected in November 2014," he said.
Back in November 2014, she met a Moroccan man who was fighting with ISIS and "married" him over Skype. Police were unsure as to the nature of the marriage because they did not know of any witnesses to the solemnisation, the Inspector-General said.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, said the woman fell under the spell of the IS struggle after watching a YouTube video on the group’s propaganda, after which she embarked on a Facebook relationship with an IS fighter.
He explained, “Police found that the suspect then started interacting with an IS fighter through Facebook since mid-November. “The woman then got married to the Maghribi man through Skype application mid last month,” Khalid said.
The 27-year-old had studied graphic design and had been persuaded that joining the Islamic State was to be a good Muslim. "In middle of December, through Skype, the man persuaded her to join him in Syria," the IGP told reporters.
The woman, who was detained at the KL International Airport on the eve of Christmas, was planning to fly to Turkey before making her way into Syria.
Sources revealed that the woman, who did not complete her Bachelor of Graphic Design at Limkokwing University, became reclusive soon after getting to know the Moroccan.
She was among two who were detained by police over the past one week in late December 2014. The other detainee was a 22-year-old male student of Universiti Teknologi Mara in Perlis. The Terengganu man was detailed at KLIA on 28 December.
He, too, was influenced to join the Islamic State after watching its propaganda videos on YouTube, as well as interacting with other fighters through social media.
Khalid said that initial investigation revealed that the man was planning to be a suicide bomber in Syria.
Khalid said the two youths were suspected of offences relating to violence under the Penal Code and would be investigated under the provisions of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
themalaymailonline.comWith the latest arrests, the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division have detained 51 locals for attempting to join or assist the Islamic State. Separately, the police are keeping tabs on Islamic State's recruitment activities that are targeted at female uni students who were persuaded to marry militants as a form of jihad.
On October 31 last year, a 25-year-old woman, Ummi Kalsom Bahak, was charged in the Sepang Sessions Court with providing support to terrorists and becoming a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis) through marriage with one of the members.
Ummi Kalsom was charged under Section 130J (1)(a) and Section 511 of the Penal Code. She claimed trial to the charge. Ummi Khalsom, an assistant credit controller, attempted to board an Istanbul-bound AirAsia flight at klia2 to marry one Aqif Huessin Rahaiza Aqif Huessin Rahaiza, an Isis member.
Prior to that on October 4, a former Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor student, Syamimi Faiqah left for Syria on October 4 to join Islamic State militants there. Syamimi, 20, departed from KLIA at 11.55pm on that day.
A local daily today reported that Syamimi had run off to Syria to marry an Islamic State militant known as Akel Zainal, whom she got to know via Facebook. Akel Zainal is understood to be a former member of a local rock group which was famous in the 1990s and is now in Syria to fight for the Islamic State.
Several emerging reports of women leaving their comforts to be with their ISIS partners has prompted Rohani Abdul Karim, Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, to ask as to why any woman would leave the country for war-torn Syria
She said that some women no longer appreciated the institution of marriage nor do they care about the legitimacy of it.
“The contract marriage they entered into is not approved by what is practised by Muslims in Malaysia and, therefore, it is not only illegal, but is also a sin.
“Where is their self-respect, dignity and focus? Is there a life for them out there? Don’t be easily influenced by the promises made by the militants who had deviated from the true teachings of Islam,” she was quoted as saying.