Report: Zakir Naik a Litmus Test for Malaysia’s counterterrorism efforts

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is considering extraditing controversial preacher Zakir Naik who is wanted in India over terrorism-related investigations.

This apparent willingness to extradite Naik reflected Putrajaya’s increased involvement in fighting terrorism not only at home but within Asia, The Diplomat said.

It also shows a possible shift in its stand on Naik as five years ago Putrajaya granted permanent residency to Naik, whose radical views have led Bangladesh, Canada, and the United Kingdom to deny him visas in the past.

The report said the extradition request had come up at a time when Malaysia was attempting to re-assert itself as a force in regional counterterrorism efforts and improve ties with India.

The Diplomat said Naik’s extradition, if it did happen, would be a major boost for already robust bilateral ties, noting that Malaysia had helped India detain an influential Italian businessman in connection with the Bofors payoffs scandal in the early 2000s.

It noted that over the past year, Malaysia had been cracking down on extremists and that in April, Prime Minister Najib Razak visited India where he signed several agreements, including a pledge to work closely on counterterrorism and security efforts.

Naik, who has denied the charges, has vowed to fight the extradition request. He fled India when he became aware that the Indian authorities were investigating his actions. He has often been seen in Malaysia.

The Diplomat quoted Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Fuzi Harun as saying that police were monitoring Naik’s movements as “he attracts a lot of attention.”

India’s National Investigation Agency has filed terrorism-related charges against Naik accusing him of influencing Indian Muslims to join the Islamic State.

“Naik is accused of a number of offenses including spreading communal hatred,” The Diplomat quoted Animesh Roul, executive director of the New Delhi-based Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict as saying.

“Zakir Naik’s permanent residency status in that country [Malaysia] will help him further [his case] as he has no criminal record in that country,” Roul said.

Naik, the report said, was regarded as one of the most influential Salafi evangelists in the world and that he had made contradictory claims regarding the relationship between his organisation and the key suspects in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, which killed 209 people and injured more than 700.

In 2016, reports revealed one of the perpetrators, Rahil Shiekh, had volunteered at Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation. Naik claims he never met Shiekh. - FMT

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