KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Two men were each sentenced to three years’ jail by the High Court here today for planning to launch an armed attack on a building in Johor last year.

Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah handed down the sentence to Nik Muhamad Zaini Nik Hassan, 37, a technician, and Ismadi Md Nor @ Ismail, 30, a security guard, after they changed their plea to guilty when the case was brought for remention today.

Before passing the sentence, Judge Azman advised the two accused to repent and be thankful that they were arrested before committing the planned crime, which might cause them to face heavier penalty, including death sentence.

"I hope you realise this. Once released from prison, give priority to your family, focus on your responsibility... don’t go blaming the police or the court (for the arrest and conviction).

"Allah loves you, that’s why you were arrested (before committing the planned crime) because if you were arrested with the firearms, you may end up being sent to the gallows,” the judge said.

The court ordered both men to serve the sentence from the day of their arrests on February 27 this year.

On August 17, Nik Muhamad Zaini and Ismadi initially pleaded not guilty to a charge of having a common intention of committing a terrorist act, that was to launch an armed attack on a building at No. 1 Jalan Abu Bakar, Johor Baru, Johor, between December 11, 2017 and January 31, 2018.

The charge under Subsection 130JD(1) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 43 of the same Code, which carries maximum jail term of seven years and fine, if convicted.

According to the facts of the case, the two men had planned to commit the armed attack on a building near Pantai Lido in Johor Baru and as part of their preparations, they had convened four meetings at three restaurants to discuss ways and means to acquire the firearms and to decide the actual target.

However, before they could execute the plan, they were arrested and during investigations, they admitted to have planned the attack in support of Islamic State militant group and claimed that the targeted building was a symbol of a group propagating a deviant ideology.

Deputy public prosecutor Noor Syazwani Mohamad Sobry prosecuted, while the two accused were represented by lawyer Sukhaimi Mashud. — Bernama