KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Malaysia’s top anti-terrorism police officer Deputy Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay has confirmed that Islamic State (IS) militants from Indonesia are seeking his death.
Ayob, who heads Bukit Aman Special Branch’s Counter-Terrorism Division, said he was aware of the Indonesian IS militants’ call to have him killed.
“Initial investigations revealed that the threat was circulated on social media since last week.
“I have received many death threats over the years but this is the first time Indonesian militants have issued a clarion call to fellow militants in Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries to have me killed,” he was quoted saying by local daily The Star.
The message singles out Ayob as the one responsible for arresting IS militants in Malaysia and urges for him to be “finished off”.
Ayob believed that the death threat was circulated now due to the IS militants’ “own twisted beliefs” that they would obtain greater blessings by attacking him during the Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.
Ayob said chances of Malaysian and Indonesian militants collaborating are high due to their close ties, noting that militants from these two countries have jointly formed a squad called Khatibah Nusantara in Raqqa, Syria.
While noting a rise in militants in Syria returning to their home countries in South-east Asia due to the onslaught on IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq, Ayob also highlighted the severity of the threat from Indonesian militants following local police’s recent capture of several of them in Perak’s Slim River and Sabah’s Sandakan.
“The suspect in Slim River detained on June 13, was an administrator for a Telegram app group that has almost 200 militants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Oman and European countries,” he said.
This suspect had claimed that the prime minister was a leader who did not practise Islamic laws and the police and army were serving a secular government, while also urging for attacks to be launched on Batu Caves and a casino in Genting Highlands, he said.
Ayob’s division has nabbed 310 militants — including 21 Indonesians — since February 2013 and also foiling 18 plots by terrorists — excluding the Movida bomb blast last June which injured eight.
