The fifty-seven Malaysian militants who are living in the Middle East as part of the Islamic State (IS) have no choice left but to “fight to the death,” according to United Nations Inter-Regional Crime and Justice Research Institute member Dr Mizan Mohn Aslam.
A return to Malaysia for any of them would be a certain detention, followed by imprisonment under the country’s anti-terror laws.
Harian Metro reports that at their peak, there were nearly one hundred Malaysians that were living in IS territory. That number has since decreased as thirty have since died. Nine were confirmed suicide bombers, and eight were detained upon return to Malaysia. The fate of the others is unknown.
However, the question of “no turning back” is somewhat nebulous as Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar in April contradicted the UNICRI’s claims by saying that all of those in IS territory were planning on returning to Malaysia.
Cool, this should end well.
