Malaysian Digest
FilePic: BenarNews
Muhammad Wanndy (left) and Mohd Faris, two Malaysians on the terror watchlist
Pic: Facebook
Two men with suspected links to Muhammad Wanndy were arrested by police counterterrorism operatives last week. Pic: NST
FilePic: BenarNews
This is the face of terror, a 26-year-old family man of average built and height from a small coastal village in Malacca who has been accorded the dubious title of 'among the most wanted man on the the global terror watchlist'.
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar announced yesterday that those nabbed yesterday included two men who received direct instructions from Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, a known Malaysian ISIS fighter who is believed to be in Syria.
"There were elements of IS involvement in the attack," Tan Sri Khalid said, confirming the worst fears of most Malaysians.
Who is Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi? Also going by the assumed name Abu Hamzah al-Fateh, his notoriety is not unknown as his movements have come to the attention of Malaysian police since last year.
An interview with The Jihad Watch site where Wanndy spoke about beheading a Syrian man was published in September last year complete with a photograph of the terrorist posing alongside his wife and child in what could be the most unsettling family group potrait laden with terror symbols.
“He said that he and his wife, Nor Mahmudah Ahmad, left Malaysia on Jan. 26, motivated by a chapter of the Quran that predicts redemption and victory for Muslims before the end of times, under a messianic figure called al-Mahdi.” But surely he misunderstood the Book of Peace, no?," jihadwatch.org reports.
“I must say that I do harbor the hope of returning to Malaysia, but it is not my priority as my focus now is to stay here and fight, to achieve my dream of defending the IS,” the 25-year-old said in a series of messages sent from the war zone via Facebook which was reproduced on jihadwatch.org.
"A still image taken from the video clip published with the story allegedly showed Wanndy crouching over the dead man’s body and smiling. His compatriot Mohd Faris Anuar allegedly operated the camera and a third man, believed to be an Indonesian, held up the Syrian’s head and cried “Allahuakbar,” jihadwatch.org noted a report by English news daily, The Star.
According to The Jihad Watch, Wanndy hails from Durian Tunggal, a small town in coastal Malacca.
The couple reportedly traveled by train from Butterworth, Penang to Bangkok, then flew to Moscow and to Istanbul – a popular disembarkation point for jihadists travelling overland to Syria.
“These Malaysians come up with thousands of excuses to avoid dying as a martyr. When they return to Malaysia, they are screaming their lungs out for jihad, but, ironically, they fled from the battle,” Wanndy had said in one of his postings.
In a recent development, local news daily The New Straits Times reported that Wanndy was planning more attacks on Malaysian soil in an interview through his active Facebook account.
Speaking to the New Straits Times via a social media website, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi had said the attack on Movida was a warning against the government to stop its crackdown against IS.
Muhammad Wanndy (left) and Mohd Faris, two Malaysians on the terror watchlist
“If the Malaysian government continues with their arrogant actions and punish Sosma detainees as they wish, it is not impossible that we will opt to use SVBIED (suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device),” Wanndy warned.
Wanndy said the Movida incident served as a warning to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar for his challenge to IS members to launch attacks in Malaysia, NST reports.
However, counterterrorism experts interviewed by the newspaper said that it was unlikely IS members here had the resources to carry out a SVBIED attack, pointing out that any IS cell here would likely be unable to get their hands on sufficient explosives for such an attack and IS members here also lacked the expertise and technical know-how to rig a vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED).
This offers small consolation to most Malaysians who are still trying to understand the implications of this attack on their personal freedom and safety to go about their daily lives as free citizens of this country.
After the Puchong nightclub attack, Wanndy had boasted of his actions on Facebook which was initially disregarded by police.
Pic: Facebook
Using the name of Abu Hamza Al-Fateh in Facebook, he posted on the social media saying that the attack was a plan by two members of ISIS – aimed as a punishment for those not respecting the month of Ramadan and for vice activities.
Two men with suspected links to Muhammad Wanndy were arrested by police counterterrorism operatives last week. Pic: NST
Malaysian police launched a massive search between 28 June and 1 July to apprehend around 15 male suspects, of whom two were found to be policemen in what is a start of a new chapter in Malaysia's fight against terror within our own borders.
- mD
 |
| 2 Men Wanted by Police |
Two Islamic State-linked suspects, high on the police wanted list for their involvement in the grenade attack on a nightspot in Puchong, were pasar malam traders and long-time buddies.
On Monday, police identified the duo as Md Saifuddin Muji, 28, and Jasanizam Rosni, 33.
The Star visited their homes in Johor yesterday and spoke to family members who expressed shock that the duo were linked to the attack.
Jasanizam’s brother Irsyad Rosni, 23, said Saifuddin would drive to their family home in Parit Raja here often to pick up his brother, who is fondly known as Ijam in the family circle.
“I recognised him immediately when I saw the two photos being circulated on social media,” Irsyad said at his home in Kampung Parit Haji Salleh Ros.
Irsyad, who works as an executive in a finance firm in Kuala Lumpur, said Ijam ran a small business at the pasar malam near the family home.
“He lived in the family home with his wife and three children to take care of our 66-year-old mother. Our father died several years ago,” he said, adding that Ijam, the sixth among eight siblings, rarely went far from home.
Irsyad said Ijam had not returned home since the weekend.
“I last met him during the second week of Ramadan. We had a brief chat as usual and he asked about my work and what was keeping me busy,” he said.
Irsyad said that his mother was stunned when police came knocking on their doors on Sunday, inquiring about Ijam’s whereabouts.
“We were stunned to find out that he was wanted for the grenade attack.
“As long as we don’t know the whole story, it is better that we remain calm. But it will be a quiet Hari Raya for us,” he added.
The family of Saifuddin said he was last seen at their home in Kampung Parit Gantung in Seri Merlong, Rengit, on Friday.
He has not been contactable since.
“My mother is heartbroken and we are at a loss for words,” said Saifuddin’s elder brother who declined to be named.
He said Saifuddin was close to their mother.
“He helped out at a pasar malam and usually returned home after work. He was not the type that goes out very often,” he said.
The grenade attack at the Movida Kitchen, Bar & Club Lounge in Puchong last Tuesday left eight people injured.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar revealed on Monday that the attack was carried out by two IS militants, who had been detained on Friday at a factory in Klang where they worked.
He said Saifuddin and Jasanizam were believed to have been involved in the attack, which was the first strike by the IS in the country.
On Monday, police identified the duo as Md Saifuddin Muji, 28, and Jasanizam Rosni, 33.
The Star visited their homes in Johor yesterday and spoke to family members who expressed shock that the duo were linked to the attack.
Jasanizam’s brother Irsyad Rosni, 23, said Saifuddin would drive to their family home in Parit Raja here often to pick up his brother, who is fondly known as Ijam in the family circle.
“I recognised him immediately when I saw the two photos being circulated on social media,” Irsyad said at his home in Kampung Parit Haji Salleh Ros.
Irsyad, who works as an executive in a finance firm in Kuala Lumpur, said Ijam ran a small business at the pasar malam near the family home.
“He lived in the family home with his wife and three children to take care of our 66-year-old mother. Our father died several years ago,” he said, adding that Ijam, the sixth among eight siblings, rarely went far from home.
Irsyad said Ijam had not returned home since the weekend.
“I last met him during the second week of Ramadan. We had a brief chat as usual and he asked about my work and what was keeping me busy,” he said.
Irsyad said that his mother was stunned when police came knocking on their doors on Sunday, inquiring about Ijam’s whereabouts.
“We were stunned to find out that he was wanted for the grenade attack.
“As long as we don’t know the whole story, it is better that we remain calm. But it will be a quiet Hari Raya for us,” he added.
The family of Saifuddin said he was last seen at their home in Kampung Parit Gantung in Seri Merlong, Rengit, on Friday.
He has not been contactable since.
“My mother is heartbroken and we are at a loss for words,” said Saifuddin’s elder brother who declined to be named.
He said Saifuddin was close to their mother.
“He helped out at a pasar malam and usually returned home after work. He was not the type that goes out very often,” he said.
The grenade attack at the Movida Kitchen, Bar & Club Lounge in Puchong last Tuesday left eight people injured.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar revealed on Monday that the attack was carried out by two IS militants, who had been detained on Friday at a factory in Klang where they worked.
He said Saifuddin and Jasanizam were believed to have been involved in the attack, which was the first strike by the IS in the country.
THE STAR
