KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Information on how to stay undetected and strike in a terror attack is now even available in a 62-page PDF file, a local terrorism expert who has interviewed militants said.

Ahmad El-Muhammady, a lecturer from International Islamic University of Malaysia, was quoted saying in The Star today he got to know about the manual through these interviews, which he said he conducted for his studies.

Ahmad told the newspaper that not only has he seen the manual, he also knew of a similar one that was being distributed months before the bombings in Jakarta on Thursday.

The manual, he said, is believed to be based on studies by a senior al-Qaeda intelligence chief although he added that it could be used by other militants.

“The lectures in Arabic are translated into English by the authors of the guidebook, and presumably other languages.

“It contained detailed instructions on how ‘lone wolves’ and small terror cells should disguise themselves to remain below the radar of security organisations.

“These disguises will even help militants stay undetected by the general population,” the newspaper was reported as saying.

According to The Star, the manual calls on aspiring militants to dress ordinarily by shaving off their beards, avoiding robes and to staying away from mosques and Islamic libraries.

Apart from teaching the militant how to dress and conduct themselves in public, it also teaches them how to operate below the radar.

“It (the manual) calls for the formation of four or five-man cells which are less noticeable than large groups.

“These cells should have no links to each other, so that if one was found out, the others would be safe.

“The guidebook also advised these cells to meet in ordinary places. They should stay away from nightclubs and bars because these places were often raided by police,” according to the English daily.