Army and police officers detained in Kunak ops

PETALING JAYA: Six suspected Sulu terrorists, including two corporals, were detained in a special operation in Kunak, Sabah.

The suspects were taken into custody by the Bukit Aman Special Branch and Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) yesterday.

Among those detained were two corporals from the police and the army as well as an illegal immigrant.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police also seized membership cards and documents linked to the Sulu Sultanate.

“The suspects were detained for alleged involvement with Sulu terrorists and the attack on Lahad Datu last year,” he said in a statement yesterday.

In Lahad Datu, the social media has been abuzz over the security lockdown to flush out illegals from three water villages in Kunak – where two people were kidnapped by gunmen 10 days ago.

However, Esscom director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek had since called on the public not to be unduly alarmed by the high security presence.

Security forces had placed a tight cordon around the town as personnel operating under Ops Gasak moved in from 3am yesterday.

Social media was abuzz with talk of gunfights, arrests of kidnappers and that guns had been found, leading Sabahans to call up the media to verify the claims.

Mohammad said the high security presence in Kunak was due to the launch of Ops Gasak to weed out suspected criminals within Kg Bakau, Kg Nelayan and Kg Basilan.

“I can assure you that Kunak is safe and not under any threat and the chatter in the social media about cross-border criminals in the area is not true,” he said.

The operation, which is being led by Esscom operations director Dep­uty Comm Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun, involved various security agencies including the Immigration and National Registration Depart­ments.

DCP Abdul Rashid said 129 people had been detained.

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