KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman’s radar has shifted to not only male militants but women and children as well.
This is in view of the possibility of more Malaysians in Syria returning by year end following reports that four groups of them, including seven children, are keen to come home after suffering the horrors of the Islamic State in Syria.
They have contacted Bukit Aman to seek help in coming home and police want to review their security risks.
Attention to women and children comes in the wake of a suicide bomb attack on a church in Surabaya, Indonesia, in May, executed by a family that included two girls aged nine and 12.
Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head Deputy Comm Datuk Ayob Khan said Malaysian police were concerned with the rising number of women and children being used by terror groups, especially to carry out suicide bomb runs and lone wolf attacks.
“We have been taking precautions,” he said in an interview.
“That attack proved that women and children can be exploited by the terror groups into becoming suicide bombers.”
DCP Ayob said police had not hesitated to take action against women involved in militant groups, despite criticisms that such arrests were “unwarranted”.
“All the arrests were necessary to ensure that our country does not fall victim to terror attacks,” he said.
Thorough measures: DCP Ayob says Bukit Aman is concerned over the rising number of women and children involved in militant activities and has taken precautions to both prevent attacks and to rehabilitate returnees.
“One of those arrested was a leader of an all-women terror cell, who planned to attack a polling centre in Puchong, Selangor, on May 9.”
A total of 44 women have been arrested in connection with terror-related activities, including six held under the Prevention of Crime Act and two under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
“Three have been deported,” DCP Ayob said.
“Fourteen of them were charged in court while 19 were freed due to lack of evidence.
“We remain professional in carrying out our duties as there must not be any compromise to matters regarding security.”
On the danger of returnees from Syria launching attacks in Malaysia, DCP Ayob said measures would be taken to ensure that they did not.
He said a thorough evaluation of the returnees would be conducted, including scrutinising their level of involvement in IS as well as whether they were still part of the terror network in Malaysia.
“We’ll also consider if these returnees still have contact with militants in Malaysia and overseas.
“Their level of cooperation with the police is also a big factor on whether legal action will be taken against them upon their return,” he said.
A 31-year-old Terengganu-born woman, her five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son were recently the first Malaysians to be repatriated from Syria.
“All returnees from Syria will be subjected to a rehabilitation programme,” DCP Ayob said.
He explained that the rehabilitation of detained militants and religious extremists was organised by the police with assistance from various government agencies.
The process begins with the detention order.
“The programme is conducted by experts in various fields, including Islamic religious scholars, academics as well as police officers,” DCP Ayob said.
“Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) was roped in to conduct a series of rehabilitation programmes to instil an understanding of the true teachings of Islam.
“Former detainees with special expertise are also invited to deliver talks.
“From 2001 to 2012, we conducted rehab for 289 militant detainees with a 97% success rate.
“Only seven went back to militancy.”
And from 2012 onwards, he said 50 former militants, who were held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, were released from prison following their stint with the programme.
From that number, only two suffered a “relapse”.
“This shows a 96% success rate,” he said.- Star
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