KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — The Memali tragedy would not have happened if religious leaders did not promise the heaven to their followers for killing people, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

Local daily Sinar Harian reported the former prime minister as saying security forces would not have shot the villagers during the 1985 tragedy in Memali if the villagers did not kill police officers.

"These people committed a crime by killing police officers. I think that if they did not kill the police, the police would not have shot them,” Dr Mahathir was quoted telling reporters in Machang, referring to the villagers

"If one demanded that his followers kill people, this is the consequence. We know that it starts with the demands of leaders who promise heaven and the like.”

"He called for people to die as martyrs and to kill other Muslims by claiming that [the latter] are not Muslims, including me. Memali happened because of such teachings,” he added.

In November 1985, a police force numbering 200 besieged Memali, a village in the Kedah district of Baling, targeting a Muslim sect founded by Ibrahim Mahmud @ Ibrahim Libya, who was also a PAS leader.

The incident resulted in the deaths of 14 civilians and four policemen.