KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 ― Thirteen people with suspected links to terrorism were arrested in Sabah last week, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said today.
The arrests were made on March 11 and 12 based on intelligence developed by the police’s Counter Terrorism special division, he added.
“The suspects included 12 Filipinos and one Malaysian citizen,” the IGP said in a statement.
Police deployed multi-divisional teams that included intelligence officers and commandos for the operations to detain the suspects.
Those arrested are believed linked to extremist organisations such as Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and the Royal Sulu Force (RSF).
In the operations in Semporna on March 11, the police detained five Filipinos and the Malaysian. Among the detainees include those suspected of involvement in the 2013 Sulu incursion into Sabah.
The police teams also executed two waves of arrest in Tambunan where the remainder were captured.
All 13 were arrested for terrorism related offences and the police invoked the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 for their detention.
