KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Malaysia’s top Islamic State (IS) militant Mohamad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi sent RM5,000 cash home to help two others travel to Syria to join the terror fight there, police have disclosed.
Bukit Aman Special Branch’s Counter-Terrorism principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan said Mohamad Wanndy had contacted two Malaysian recruits via private messaging app Telegram and sent them the cash to cover their travel expenses en route, The Sunday Star reported today in an exclusive interview.
“We believe Mohamad Wanndy influenced them to Syria. The suspect from Muar had also received cash from another individual to purchase the tickets to Istanbul,” Ayob was quoted as saying.
The two Malaysians were a 29-year-old from Muar Johor and a 24-year-old labourer from Miri, Sarawak who had first made contact with Mohamad Wanndy last year.
Ayob added that the Muar suspect had also gained a RM20,000 personal loan prior to his one-way trip funding to Syria.
Both men were arrested by the Turkish authorities before they could get into Syria and were sent back to Malaysia. They were picked up by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division officers upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on October 30.
Ayob said both suspects had taken a flight to Istanbul from Bangkok as it was deemed a safer route despite it costing more.
“Once they reached Istanbul, Mohamad Wanndy then directed them to Facebook as a form of communication.
“They were ordered to stay in Turkey for a while as Mohamad Wanndy made arrangements for their safe passage into Syria,” he said.
Ayob added that both suspects were members of Mohamad Wanndy’s Gagak Hitam (Black Crow) terror cell in Malaysia.
The Sunday Star also cited anonymous sources saying that Mohamad Wanndy received at least RM8,000 monthly from IS sympathisers in Malaysia and has amassed at least RM100,000 within a short time.
The Malacca-born militant had claimed responsibility for a grenade attack on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in June and issued death threats against top Malaysian police and government officials.
