KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Five people suspected of involvement with the Islamic State and Imam Mahdi terror organisations were arrested in Johor and Selangor last week, including one who is a former senior official at Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH), according to police.
The quintet — four Malaysians and one Indonesian — was arrested in separate operations by the police’s Counter-terrorism division between November 9 and 13.
The first suspect, a 22-year-old man, is a canteen supervisor at the Health Ministry’s pharmacy division in Petaling Jaya and was detained for planning to join IS activities in Syria.
A second IS suspect, the sole foreigner, was also an employee with the same canteen.
The third person arrested for suspected links to IS is a former FGVH official who left on a voluntary separation scheme in August.
“The suspect left for Turkey on October 21, 2015 to try and sneak into Syria to join the IS terrorist group. He was arrested by Turkish authorities on October 25 along with nine other foreigners before he was deported to Malaysia,” the police said in a statement today.
The remaining two, aged 28 and 30, who were suspected of involvement with the Imam Mahdi group, were allegedly planning attacks in the Klang Valley against those who opposed their struggle, including family members.
All five individuals were arrested under Chapter VIA of the Penal Code pertaining to offences against the state and will be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.
