Terrorists had plans to attack Penang
Taken away: Suspects of the Ar Rayah terror cell being handcuffed and detained in Pahang by the Counter Terrorism Division.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ar Rayah terror cell that was busted by the police had planned to carry out a test run using smoke bombs in Melaka before launching a bigger attack in Penang.
Sources said the group was eyeing the test run at entertainment outlets in Melaka last month before a “grand finale” at similar joints in Penang during the National Day celebration on Aug 31.
“Despite only using smoke bombs, their threat was real.
“They were hoping people would end up hurting themselves and each other in the ensuing chaos,” a source told The Star yesterday.
“Authorities are not ruling out the possibility that the group could have resorted to use more lethal means if their plans were successful,” another source said.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun confirmed on Friday that five members of Ar Rayah, including the mastermind and a foreign militant, have been arrested.
Sources said the foreigner was believed to be a Thai national, who is also part of another terror cell in southern Thailand.
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Taken away: Suspects of the Ar Rayah terror cell being handcuffed and detained in Pahang by the Counter Terrorism Division.
“Police are investigating his role in Ar Rayah and the extent of his involvement in planning attacks in Malaysia,” the source said.
The IGP also said another terror cell – the Asoib group – was busted following the arrests of five militants.
Mohamad Fuzi said the terror cell had misinterpreted the hadith (edict) and ended up believing that Imam Mahdi would emerge in Mecca this year. They were also planning to head to a Middle Eastern country to launch attacks.
Sources said members of the terror cell were planning to go to Yemen, where they would link up with another terror group and launch attacks in Saudi Arabia.
“Authorities believe the Asoib has some 100 members nationwide but only a small group of them are extremists,” a source said.
Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head Deputy Comm Datuk Ayob Khan said 425 militants, including 44 women, had been detained since February 2013.
“From the total of those arrested, 314 are Malaysians while the remaining are foreigners from multiple countries, including the Philippines (39), Indonesia (35), Iraq (eight), Bangladesh (five) and Yemen (four),” he said
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/16/terrorists-had-plans-to-attack-penang/#zkxMW8f526y53jVA.99
