PAS leader labels fallen jihadist a martyr

PETALING JAYA: PAS central committee member Nik Abduh Nik Aziz(pic) has paid tribute to fallen Malaysian jihadist in Syria, Mohd Lotfi Ariffin, labelling him a ‘martyr’.

Nik Abduh, who is the son of PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, attributed a quote to the deceased, labelling it “good words of advice”.

“If someone is not responsible for his own end, then he will not be responsible for someone else’s world. Therefore, would you give your world to those who are not trustworthy of their own end,” he posted on his Facebook page, attributing the quote to ‘As-Syahid Abu Mus’ab Ustaz Lotfi Arrifin’.

He also shared an anecdote of a final encounter between Pahang PAS Dewan Ulama chief Mokhtar Senik and Lotfi, who is a former Kedah PAS member, at the end of last year.

Mokhtar relayed how “as-syuhada” (the martyr) and him were fellow inmates when they were detained for three years at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.

Lotfi, 45, died after falling into a coma following an ambush on rebel militants in east Hama on Tuesday.

He was injured in the attack that also killed fellow Malaysian jihadist Mohd Fadhlan Shahidi, 21, and remained unconscious before succumbing to his injuries early Sunday morning.  

His compatriot, Ahmad Salman Abdul Rahim, confirmed the news when contacted via Facebook.

“We are still waiting for Ustad Mat Lotfi’s body to be brought directly from the Antarkia Hospital in Turkey. God willing, he will be buried at the Kafr Zayta cemetery, next to Abu Turab and Abu Muhajir (Fadhlan),” he said in a posting at 3pm, Sunday.

Abu Turab, whose real name is Mat Soh, was the first Malaysian jihadist to be killed in Syria last month, while defending the town of Arzeh.

In May, Malaysian jihadist Ahmad Tarmimi Maliki became the country’s first suicide bomber when he rammed a vehicle full of explosives into a SWAT headquarters in Iraq, killing 25 police personnel. 

Another Malaysian jihadist, Akel Zainal, also shared news of Lotfi’s ‘martyrdom’ on his Facebook page. 

“Praise be to Allah, the latest news is that Lotfi Ariffin a.k.a Abu Musab, has been martyred in his battle for Allah’s religion. He was martyred after the Maghrib prayers yesterday,” he posted on Sunday morning. 

Meanwhile, Ahmad Salman told the Star that the situation in Syria was getting “very tense”, with the rebel fighters hard-pressed to defend themselves from the army of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.