Extremists pay heavy price for conspiring to carry out bomb attacks

X: IS militants charged in Duta court.

KUALA LUMPUR: Four men, including two brothers, were sentenced to a total of 90 years in jail for promoting acts of terrorism.

Siblings Mohd Anwar Azmi, 33, and Mohd Nurkamal, 30, were sentenced to 25 years each while Izwan Shameer Suzaimi, 26, and Muhammad Luqman Hakim Abdul Aziz, 23, both received 20-year terms.

Their sentence will start from the day of their arrest on April 25 last year.

Family members of the men could not hold back their tears after the sentences were handed down under Section 130G of the Penal Code by High Court Judicial Commissioner Nordin Hassan.

The court is waiting for a probation report on the underage offender who was found guilty along with the four before meting out a sentence on May 27.

Lawyer Naizatul Zamrina Karizaman represented the siblings, who are general workers. She pleaded for leniency, saying both were fathers of two minors.

Izwan’s lawyer Faizal Rahman said his client, a trader, was the eldest of 11 children and had to care for his parents.

End of the line: (Left) Family members of the four men arriving at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur. The men were arrested in Hulu Langat in April last year. 

Muhammad Luqman Hakim’s lawyer, Wong Kar Fai said the shop assistant’s 20-year-old sibling had given up his studies to help their father support the family.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Shaharud­din Wan Ladin asked for jail terms between 20 years and the maximum 30 years.

He also asked the court to consider the loss of life and chaos that could have resulted from their actions.

In sentencing, JC Nordin said the actions of the four would have affected the stability of the country and prevented Malaysians from living peaceful lives.

“After considering your mitigation, the court has a duty to impose a sentence that will deter others from committing the same offence in the future,” he said.

The group of five was arrested by the Bukit Aman Counter Terrorism Unit in Hulu Langat in April last year for conspiracy to allegedly attack government buildings, nightclubs, prostitution centres and other entertainment outlets.

They were found to be in possession of chemicals and materials used to make explosives.