Teen stages IS ‘lone cub’ attack
KUALA LUMPUR: A 16-year-old schoolboy launched the first “lone cub” attack by the Islamic State (IS) on Malaysian soil when he brazenly tried to to kidnap a sales assistant at a shopping complex in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Wearing a headcover bearing the IS logo as a mask, the teen, armed with a 27cm knife and fake pistol, targeted the 27-year-old woman after casing the complex in Pekan Baru for two days.
Intelligence sources revealed that the young militant, a student at a private religious school, had intended to kidnap her.
“He held the woman at knifepoint and initially planned to kidnap her, to show that the terror group truly has a presence in Malaysia
“In the middle of the attack, the suspect surprisingly told the victim to alert the police,” the source said yesterday.
The source said the teenager did not even attempt to escape when the police arrived at the scene.
He was arrested and taken to the Kuala Muda district police headquarters.
“The authorities learnt that he had been influenced by the terror group since mid-2013.
“He viewed non-Muslims as kafir harbi (those that can be justifiably killed),” another source revealed.
The source warned that the teen’s attack, while not resulting in any injury or fatality, was a sign of worse things to come.
“The suspect just wanted to prove a point. What the police have been preparing for and staying vigilant about has finally happened.
“Lone wolf attacks can be carried out anywhere and at any time. Thus, it is important to always be prepared with proper intelligence and information,” the source said.
At a press conference in Bukit Aman, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the boy was detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
“He was brainwashed into following Islamic State ideology through e-mail and social media, and wanted to prove that he was capable of such an act,” he said.
Khalid said investigations revealed that the youth had no intention to hurt the woman, but only wanted to show that “he is a member and able to do what is asked by IS”.
After the boy’s arrest, the police found IS materials on him, including a book and a written sheet of paper.
He also had two jubah (robes), a kopiah (cap), a serban (headcover) and two newspaper clippings about the terror group in his slingbag.
They also seized a 27cm knife and the toy pistol.
Several members of the MCA Crisis Relief Squad also rushed to the store to provide assistance upon hearing about the incident. They arrived at about the same time as the policemen.
KUALA LUMPUR: A 16-year-old schoolboy launched the first “lone cub” attack by the Islamic State (IS) on Malaysian soil when he brazenly tried to to kidnap a sales assistant at a shopping complex in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Wearing a headcover bearing the IS logo as a mask, the teen, armed with a 27cm knife and fake pistol, targeted the 27-year-old woman after casing the complex in Pekan Baru for two days.
Intelligence sources revealed that the young militant, a student at a private religious school, had intended to kidnap her.
“He held the woman at knifepoint and initially planned to kidnap her, to show that the terror group truly has a presence in Malaysia
“In the middle of the attack, the suspect surprisingly told the victim to alert the police,” the source said yesterday.
The source said the teenager did not even attempt to escape when the police arrived at the scene.
He was arrested and taken to the Kuala Muda district police headquarters.
“The authorities learnt that he had been influenced by the terror group since mid-2013.
“He viewed non-Muslims as kafir harbi (those that can be justifiably killed),” another source revealed.
The source warned that the teen’s attack, while not resulting in any injury or fatality, was a sign of worse things to come.
“The suspect just wanted to prove a point. What the police have been preparing for and staying vigilant about has finally happened.
“Lone wolf attacks can be carried out anywhere and at any time. Thus, it is important to always be prepared with proper intelligence and information,” the source said.
At a press conference in Bukit Aman, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the boy was detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
“He was brainwashed into following Islamic State ideology through e-mail and social media, and wanted to prove that he was capable of such an act,” he said.
Khalid said investigations revealed that the youth had no intention to hurt the woman, but only wanted to show that “he is a member and able to do what is asked by IS”.
After the boy’s arrest, the police found IS materials on him, including a book and a written sheet of paper.
He also had two jubah (robes), a kopiah (cap), a serban (headcover) and two newspaper clippings about the terror group in his slingbag.
They also seized a 27cm knife and the toy pistol.
Several members of the MCA Crisis Relief Squad also rushed to the store to provide assistance upon hearing about the incident. They arrived at about the same time as the policemen.
Sales clerk: Youth asked me to call the cops
Brief ordeal: Liang pointing to the spot the youth told her to sit during his kidnap attempt at the shopping mall in Sungai Petani.
SUNGAI PETANI: Sales assistant Liang Seow Pheng wasn’t afraid when a youth pointed a pistol at her in a shopping complex where she worked.
“I saw that there was a sticker on it and knew that it was a toy gun, so I pushed it aside,” said the 27-year-old.
“But then he whipped out a knife and I got scared.”
Liang thought the 16-year-old was drunk or high on drugs and decided to do as he wanted.
She said she had noticed him near the store, at the Billion Supermarket earlier, but paid no attention, thinking he was waiting for friends.
He came up to her while she was rearranging some music CDs.
“My booth is right at the entrance of the supermarket and he told me to sit down after pulling out the knife.
“I asked him what he wanted. He didn’t reply but after a short while he told me to call the police,” she said.
Liang said that when the police arrived, the youth did not resist arrest.
“He did as he was told and handed over his bag when the policemen asked for it,” she said.
She said she was shocked to find out later that the youth was a recruit of the Islamic State (IS) terror group.
“I have heard so much about IS. This is more scary than having a knife pointed at me,” she said.
C. Segaran, the supermarket’s 53-year-old security guard, said he could not do anything when he saw the youth pointing a pistol at Liang.
“I thought the gun was real,” he said.
He remembered seeing the youth entering the supermarket.
“I saw him vomit a few times before the incident. To me, he looked ill or on drugs,” Segaran said.
