IGP: Seven IS militants nabbed nationwide since Friday

One of the seven suspected IS militants detained by police.

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven Islamic State (IS) militants were detained in multiple swoops nationwide since Friday, says Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (pic).

The Inspector-General of Police said that the suspects, aged between 26 and 50, were detained in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kedah, Pahang and Selangor by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division.

"They were arrested in special operations held since Friday.

"The suspects were planning attacks on strategic locations in the country," he said in a statement Sunday.

He added that one of them had received orders from known militant Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, while another was ordered by Indonesian Katibah Nusantara leader Bahrom Naim, the man who ordered the attack in Jakarta recently.

The IGP said two suspects were arrested in Johor, one a hotel assistant manager in Nusajaya while the other was a store caretaker at a factory.

"Two other suspects were detained in Kedah. One of them, a 50-year-old cendol seller is responsible for acquiring funds to cover expenses for those intending to join the IS.

"The money is also for funding attacks in Malaysia. The other suspect nabbed was the cendol seller's assistant, who is from Terengganu," he said.

Three remaining suspects, including a security guard, were detained in Gombak (Selangor), Kuala Lumpur and Pahang.

Among the items seized were 30 bullets of different calibres, books on jihad (Islamic holy war), IS flags and a propaganda video.

The suspects were detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012