KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Reports of Abu Sayyaf suicide bombers in Sabah are greatly exaggerated, state police chief Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said as he sought to assure Malaysians of their safety from the southern Philippine terror group.

Jalaluddin acknowledged that the police had received word of bombers embedded in the north Borneo state but asserted that not all information received was genuine and may have been planted by criminal elements to spread fear among the populace, The Star reported in its weekend edition today.

“It is information that we have received. I am not saying it is real or not real. Like all information, we investigate and verify. Not all information we receive is real.

“I personally do not think they (sleeper bombers) are here (Sabah).

“The public should not panic and stop adding to such messages,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Kota Kinabalu after attending a Deepavali open house there.

Rumours of coming terrorist attacks here grew following a leaked internal police circular in which 10 suicide bombers from Abu Sayyaf, the Moro National Liberation Front and global militant menace Islamic State (IS) have reportedly been sent to the national capital and eight to Sabah.

Federal police chief Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the leak to news portal Malaysiakini last Thursday, but said the police will not allow anything to happen.

The country has been on high alert since the IS claimed credit for the bombing in Paris that killed over 120 people and have stepped up security, roping in the military, with world leaders in town for the Asean Summit this weekend.

Today, Jalaluddin was reported saying the mole who leaked the memo had been found, and added that action would be taken against the individual.

According to The Star, the Abu Sayyaf is not known for suicide bombings but more for its kidnap-for-ransom activities that have seen hostages taken from Sabah.

However, Sarawakian engineer, Bernard Then, 39, was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf last week — believed to be the first Malaysian beheading incident by the militant group — upping security fears in the state.