KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — It is beyond Bukit Aman’s authority to haul home Malaysians involved in terrorist or militant activities outside the country, including Syria, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.
The country’s top policeman added that the issue was an ideological problem and and as such, beyond the force’s scope.
“We always try our best, especially with regards to those who have already reached Iraq and Syria.
“From our side, we always try to influence them to drop their following there [Syria] but it is out of our bounds to go there and bring them back as this is an ideology problem, matters of belief.
“If they still insist on believing on what’s wrong, how can we bring them back?” he told a press conference here.
Khalid was responding to a report by national news agency Bernama yesterday quoting Bukit Aman Special Branch director Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Mohd Harun who said there were at least eight Malaysian children who have been recruited and trained as Islamic State (IS) fighters Syrian and Iraqi camps.
In the same report, Mohamad Fuzi also revealed the latest statistics showed 47 Malaysians were now involved with IS militants in Syria and Iraq.
“Of the total, 12 were women while the remaining number were men including the eight children," he was quoted saying.
A recent study of Muslims’ attitudes toward IS by US-based Pew Research Centre gleaned from its 2015 Global Attitudes survey showed the support level for the terror group in Malaysia was tied for second place with Senegal among 11 nations with significant Muslim populations polled.
Local police have reported frequent success in detecting and arresting Malaysians either planning to travel to or already en route to Syria — where the IS has been waging war — with several already charged with supporting terrorism.
Last year, 82 suspected IS militants were reported to have been arrested within the country, with Malaysians numbering 73.
