KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — The Police Special Branch’s counter terrorism division in Bukit Aman detained eight Malaysians on suspicion of involvement in terrorist groups during an operation mounted simultaneously in Selangor, Perak and Johor last Friday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said six of the suspects were believed to be involved in the Tandzim Al Qaeda Malaysia group, while two others, in the so-called IS militant group.

All of them aged between 22 and 36.

Khalid said two of the suspects, a former civil servant and former electrician, were arrested in Lebanon in 2012 for trying to enter Syria to join militant group.  “They were escorted home by the Special Branch’s counter terrorism division personnel last Friday and were detained upon arrival at the KL International Airport, Sepang,” he said in a statement here today.

Khalid said four of the suspects were remnants of the Tandzim Al Qaeda Malaysia who had been hiding after their top leaders were arrested in February 2013.

He said two other suspects were civil servants believed to be involved in IS militant group and had been spreading the group’s ideology among the civil servants in their departments.

All of them would be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), he added. — Bernama