Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein today confirmed that five officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) were among suspects arrested for having links to the Middle Eastern Islamic State (ISIS) terror organisation.
While Hishamuddin declined to provide details on the five officers, he did tell Bernama that the ATM had handed over the case to Bukit Aman’s Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division for investigation.
“The soldiers, who are from the lower rank, have been suspended with immediate effect, and this brings to 11, the number of soldiers detained for suspected involved with the IS,” he added.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said that police had detained 10 individuals, all Malaysian citizens, for alleged involvement with ISIS, across several operations in KL and five states on Wednesday.
Hishamuddin classified the ISIS penetration into the Malaysian Armed Forces as being “not serious”, but stressed that proactive measures were being taken anyway to prevent terror incidents from occuring on Malaysian soil.
“We are working with intelligence agencies worldwide because no country is spared by the IS,” he added.
