KOTA KINABALU, March 27 — The High Court here was told today that war would break out in four districts (in Sabah) if there was a confrontation between the security forces and Sulu intruders at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu.

The supervising officer of the Bukit Aman Special Branch (SB) communication interception unit, ASP Muhammad Fauzairi Jaidi said that in a telephone conversation intercepted on Feb 26, 2013, it was learnt that an individual identified as ‘Raja Muda Agimuddin’ was getting his people ready to wage a battle with the security forces in Kunak, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Semporna.

“If war erupted at Kampung Tanduo, then other places (the four districts) will be at war simultaneously,” he said of the 3.47pm phone call between an unidentified woman, dubbed by the police as ‘wanita Sabah’ (Sabah woman), and another woman known as ‘Neng’.

The SB officer said this when explaining the contents of the communication interception carried out by his unit after obtaining authorisation from the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office.

He was testifying at the trial of 30 individuals allegedly linked to the intrusion.

In the dock are 27 Filipinos and three local residents who are facing one to multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group, waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, recruiting members for a terrorist group or willfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.

They allegedly committed the offences between February 12 and April 10, 2013.

Muhammad Fauzairi also said the unidentified woman, who was using mobile number 014-6774273 belonging to an intrusion suspect Julham Rashid, contacted Neng, whose number could not be detected by the SB, to inform that a ship from the Philippines that came to bring home Raja Muda Agimuddin, who was referred to as ‘Raja’ in the conversation, and others had turned back because Raja was adamant not to leave Kampung Tanduo.

In a phone call tapped by the SB at 9.03pm on February 26, 2013, the witness said Julham, who was addressed as ‘Panglima Julham’, was contacted by an unidentified woman from an undetected number, reminding him not to involve himself in any claims by a sultan.

The SB officer said Julham also told an unidentified man that the security forces were still waiting on who, among the security forces and the intruders, would make the first attack.

In a phone call at 8.37pm on February 27, 2013, he said the man, whom the police called ‘lelaki Sabah’ (Sabah man), also informed Julham that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had gone to Malacanang Palace, while a ship from the Philippines had arrived in Lahad Datu.

“But Raja and his army insisted not to return and Julham also told ‘lelaki Sabah’ that Malaysia had received a warning from UN (United Nations),” he added.

In another telephone conversation tapped by the police on February 20, 2013, Muhammad Fauzairi said Raja claimed that the Malaysian government had issued some form of threat on him.

He said a man known as ‘Imam Tua’ told Julham that Raja made the claim when interviewed by a radio station from the Philippines.

“Imam Tua said he had just had a conversation with Raja where Raja told him that a radio station from the Philippines had contacted him (Raja) asking if the Malaysian government had ‘frightened’ him (Raja).

“Raja gave an affirmative reply, but said he was not afraid because they (intruders) came with good intentions and (to) take back their land,” he added.

The hearing, before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department, continues on March 30. — Bernama