A 16-year old student of a religious school in Kedah held a woman at knifepoint on Monday morning, in an effort to prove that he had the fortitude to join Middle Eastern terror organisation Islamic State (ISIS).
The boy, having allegedly bought into the extreme Islamist ideology behind ISIS, dressed himself in the garb of a jihadist combatant and took the woman hostage at a supermarket in Sungai Petani.
“Investigations revealed that he was influenced by the IS movement through social media and wanted to prove that he was capable of such acts by threatening the woman,” Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said today, as quoted by The Star Online‘‘s Nadirah H Rodzi.
The boy was exposed to and began subscribing to the ISIS manifesto through e-mailed corrrespondence with ISIS sympathisers, and by engaging in like-minded social media groups.
“We need to identify these people,” Khalid said.
“Investigations revealed that he had no intention of hurting the woman but wanted to show that he is a member and that he is able to do what is requested by [Islamic State].”
The student is now under police detention. His case will be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, or SOSMA.
