15 suspects detained in Malaysia over terror-related activities

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A 51-year-old housewife, who had planned to ram voters with a car on the polling day of the Malaysian election, was among 15 suspects detained by the police over terror-related activities, the police said on Friday.

The suspects, including six Filipinos, a couple from an unspecified north African country and a Bangladeshi man, were detained by the police anti-terrorism division in a series of operations between March 27 and May 9, said Mohamad Fuzi Harun, the Malaysian police chief.

The housewife, who was arrested on May 9, was also accused of planning to drive a vehicle carrying gas cylinders into non-Muslim worship places.

A 41-year-old Bangladeshi man, who owns a restaurant in downtown Kuala Lumpur, is believed to be involved in smuggling weapons for terrorist groups, said Fuzi.

The police also arrested a 17-year-old high school student, who had planned to launch attacks on churches, entertainment outlets and Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur with "Molotov cocktail."

The police said he already tested one such self-made bomb in an open field. The police said he also uploaded a video clip to social media declaring the attack, only to be caught one hour later.

As for the six Filipino suspects, aged between 22 and 49, the police accused them of stockpiling weapons to be used in their "jihad war" in Marawi city, which was liberated by the Philippine troops last year.

Two other Malaysians were detained for plotting to attack non-Muslim worship places and abducting police officers.

Southeast Asia has seen a wave of terror attacks lately, first in southern Thailand and then Indonesia. A grenade attack at a bar in suburb Kuala Lumpur took place in 2016, the first attack linked to the Islamic State group. The country has arrested hundreds of people for suspected links to terrorist groups in the last several years. Enditem