KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 ― Thousands of social media accounts suspected of links to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group are being monitored by local law enforcers, said the Home Ministry.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Masir Kujat told Parliament that to date 3,871 Facebook accounts are being monitored while 800 more were blocked and 240 users arrested.
On Twitter, the police are monitoring 76 accounts, have blocked nine and arrested eight people.
On Instagram, the police are monitoring 72 accounts and have made one arrest.
“We find that they use social media to recruit new members and to look for funds from sympathisers. We have arrested those who use social media as (IS) recruiting grounds,” he said when answering an additional question by Tasek Gelugor (BN) MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya.
He attributed the police’s success to its counter messaging centre (CMC), which has been tasked to curb IS influence and propaganda on social media.
Earlier, Masir also told Dewan Rakyat that the Home Ministry is deradicalising 19 people consisting of 18 locals and one foreigner.
Another nine individuals have also reached the last phase, which is phase four of the deradicalisation programme.
“The deradicalisation programmes uses a systematic and holistic deradicalisation procedures on terrorist consisting of religious, nationalistic, psychological, familial and core values.
“The programme is considered successful when the detainees can be released and are no longer involved in terror activities. The modules are consistently reviewed and updated from time to time,” said Masir.
