GEORGE TOWN, March 9 — Penang police detained a 37-year-old unemployed man for his alleged links with Islamic State (IS) during an operation in Bukit Mertajam last Thursday.

A police team detained the suspect and seized several items linked to the terror group during a 7pm raid in a unit at the Wawasan Flat, near the Seberang Prai court building.

Among the items were a sling bag and towel with Arabic wordings, five mobile phones, two SIM and memory cards each and two IS inspired flags.

Police have kept close tabs on the suspect for several weeks before the raid was carried out, a source revealed.

The suspect had operated a stall selling coffee before handing over the business to his wife late last year to become an active IS member in the northern region.

He has been handed over to the Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division in Bukit Aman.

Penang police chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab confirmed the arrest after opening a security workshop on surveillance detection on Counter-Terrorism Strategies at Universiti Sains Malaysia here yesterday.

He told reporters police did not find any weapons or firearms during the raid.

“Checks also revealed the suspect did not have any criminal records,” he said.

The case is being investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Police are checking if the man was connected with 10 other IS suspects arrested in a series of raids conducted in January, following the Jakarta attacks on Jan 14.

Investigations revealed the 10 had links with the terror group’s Malay-speaking arm Katibah Nusantara and its leader Bahrun Naim.  

Bahrun is alleged to have masterminded the attacks in the Indonesian capital.

Last month, it was reported that IS had intensified its efforts to lure sympathisers to launch fatal strikes on strategic spots in Malaysia.