Police hunt for suspected militants

From top left: Jeknal, Joraimee and Mahmud. Bottom from left: Amin and Najib.

KUALA LUMPUR: A former Universiti Malaya lecturer is among five suspected militants hunted down by police believed to be linked to the middle-eastern terror group Isil and Abu Sayyaf.

Former lecturer Dr Mahmud Ahmad and stationery shop owner Mohd Najib Husen, both 36, are believed to be leaders in the local militant group that is training and sending members to fight in Syria and Iraq.

Sources said the authorities believed that the two men recruited and arranged for four Malaysians to be sent to Syria on March 5 this year, including Ahmad Tarmimi Maliki, the first Malaysian suicide bomber.

“They were also responsible for arranging meetings between foreign and local militant leaders at a safe house in Shah Alam since late last year,” a source said.

It is believed that the meetings were to establish a Daulah Islamiyah Asia Tenggara (South-East Asia Islamiyah network).

The sources said that Dr Mahmud, also known as Abu Handzalah, from Batu Caves, Selangor, underwent training at an al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, while he was studying at the Islamabad Islamic University in Pakistan.

The third member being sought is former Selayang Municipal Council employee Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, 39, also known as Abu Nur.

“He is a spiritual leader of the group which spreads militant teachings and encourages Malaysians to fight in Syria,” a source said.

The two other wanted men are Darul Islam Sabah members Mohd Amin Baco, 31, and Jeknal Adil, 30, both from Tawau.

Sources revealed that both men had undergone training with Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines since 2005.

Police believe that Mohd Amin was involved in the brutal killing of five people in southern Phi­lippines in 2011, the video of which went viral on Youtube.

Mohd Amin and Jeknal are also suspected of kidnapping two swiftlet breeders at Felda Sahabat 15 in Lahad Datu on Nov 12, 2012, the sources said.

Jeknal was held under the Internal Security Act from May 11, 2006 until May 10, 2010 in Kamunting, Perak.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the five are believed to be hiding in southern Philippines.

Khalid urged anyone with information to contact the nearest police station or the Bukit Aman Counter Terrorism Divi­sion at 03-2266 7010 or 011-2104 6850.

Those with information can also e-mail the police at [e-mail], he said.