PETALING JAYA: Four Malaysians have been picked up in relation to the arrest of the Israeli man who was apprehended with six guns and over 200 bullets at a hotel here recently.
The four, comprising two men and two women aged between 28 and 41, were arrested following raids at Skudai and Gelang Patah in Johor on Wednesday, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
“We are now investigating their roles in this case,” he said when contacted yesterday.
The arrest of the four brings the total number of suspects detained to eight so far including the Israeli man who was arrested on March 27.
Razarudin said the police would be applying for an extension of remand on the couple who were arrested in Kuala Selangor two days after the arrest of the Israeli.
They were arrested for allegedly supplying firearms to the Israeli man, who was found with six pistols and 200 bullets when he was arrested by a team from Bukit Aman and Kuala Lumpur CID.
The Israeli – Shalom Avitan – was arrested at a hotel in Jalan Ampang on March 27 with six guns and 200 rounds of ammunition.
A local man alleged to be Avitan’s driver was also detained in Cameron Highlands.
It was reported that Bukit Aman did not rule out the possibility that Avitan was planning an attack here.
Police had taken note of the fact that he chose to enter the country during the fasting month and could have been planning to strike during Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Police said the suspect gave the reason that he wanted to hunt down a leader of a rival crime family but this could not be easily accepted.
Avitan could have threatened the country’s leaders, foreign diplomats and even leaders from Hamas, Razarudin was quoted as saying.
