Two more IS followers nabbed trying to leave for Syria

KUALA LUMPUR: Two youths were detained at KL International Airport on suspicion of trying to join the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the first arrest on Dec 24 involved a 27-year-old woman from Negri Sembilan, who was a former private institution of higher learning student.

"The suspect was influenced to join the IS group in Syria after watching the group's propaganda video through YouTube and interacting with IS members via facebook and was detected in November 2014," he said.

He said the suspect later married an IS member, a Moroccan, in mid-December 2014 via skype video call.

He said the IS member managed to convince the woman to join the group in Syria.

Khalid said the second arrest on Dec 28 involved a 22-year-old man from Terengganu who was studying at a public higher education institute in Perlis.

He said the suspect was influenced into joining IS after watching the video on Youtube and interacting with several Malaysian and foreign IS members in Syria via facebook.

"The suspect had planned to be involved in a suicide attack in Syria," he said.

Khalid said the two youths were suspected of offences relating to violence under the Penal Code and would be investigated under the provisions of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012. 

With the latest arrests, police have detained 51 local individuals for attempting to join or assist the IS militant group.