Cops detain 13 terror suspects in Sabah

(Above and below): Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division team members with some of the terror suspects.-Starpic

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 13 terror suspects have been detained following an anti-terror swoop in Sabah, said Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

The Inspector-General of Police said the suspects – 12 Filipinos and a Malaysian – were detained by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division on March 11 and March 12 in Semporna and Tambunan.

"Those detained were either members of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Maute or Royal Sulu Force (RSF) terror groups.

"Some of those were also detained for harbouring militants," he said in a statement on Monday.

The first series of arrests were made on March 11 in Semporna involving five Filipinos and a Malaysian man.

"Four of the suspects were involved with the Maute terror group in an attack in Marawi, Philippines in 2017.

"The four also harboured other Maute member and even militants from the Middle East who fled to Sabah.

"Two others were members of the RSF, who were responsible for the attacks in Lahad Datu and Semporna in 2013. We also believe they are recruiting new members among Filipinos in Sabah," the IGP said.

The next series of arrests were in Tambunan on March 11, where five Filipino men and a Filipino woman aged between 23 and 63 were detained.

"One of the men detained is a member of the ASG, who were involved in clashes in Marawi, Phillippines.

"He fled to Sabah in December last year to avoid capture from Philippines security forces," he said.

He added that five others detained were linked to ASG and Maute members in Sabah.

The last arrest was a 39-year-old Filipino man in Tambunan on March 12, the IGP said.

"He had offered protection and harboured elements from the ASG and Maute," he said.

A total of 10 other Filipinos, who did not have proper identification and travel documents were also detained, he added.

"They have been handed over to the Immigration department," he said.

With the latest arrests on elements of Philippines-based terror groups, Mohamad Fuzi said the counter-terrorism division was confident of nabbing the remainder of the groups still hiding in Sabah.

"The terror suspects were detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012," he said.