KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — Turgay Karaman who was arrested on suspicion of links with global terror network Islamic State (IS) can only be shipped back to his home country, Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.
He added that the Turk cannot be sent to any other country under Malaysian deportation laws, The Star Online reported.
“We can’t send him to a third country. He needs to be sent back to Turkey,” Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, was quoted as saying in Putrajaya.
He was responding to reports of pleas from Karaman’s wife for her husband to be deported to a third country instead of Turkey for fear of backlash as they were said to be sympathisers of an anti-government movement.
Karaman and another of his countryman were arrested on May 2 for suspected Islamic State ties and for allegedly threatening Malaysia’s security.
But Ahmad Zahid also said the police are handling the case and “will decide whether he will be deported or not”.
