KUALA LUMPUR: The police do not simply arrest underage suspects, especially when it involves matters of extremism, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says.
“There are those that ask why the police must arrest those involved as their age is still considered young, for example. But based on our intelligence, which we collect over a long period of time and after comparing it with our friends overseas, only then do we actually make the arrests.
“We use all legal instruments available as our main goal is to ensure safety. Perhaps there are those that feel that because of their age they are not involved but investigations clearly show that they are interested in these violent doctrines when we scan their devices.
“The structure is multilayered and there will be additional arrests,” he said during a press conference at the 219th Police Day celebrations on Wednesday (March 25).
He added that the parents of the suspect had been in contact with him.
“We explain that we detected access to extremist websites and such. There are also layers to the group and at the top, it is those above the age of thirty.
“Also it is not just here but regionallly. At 17 and 18 years old, one would know what the risk is of involving themselves in matters that bring security risk. That is spelt out clearly in the Penal Code,” he said.
Previously, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the police had arrested six Malaysian youths, including three minors, for suspected involvement in extremist activities.
The suspects, aged between 16 and 21 years old, were detained in coordinated raids conducted on Feb 14 and 15 in the Klang Valley, Johor, Kedah and Terengganu.
Police arrested six Malaysian youths, including three minors, suspected of involvement in Islamic State (IS)-linked extremist activities.
