36 Bangladeshis held in Malaysia over 'militant ties', minister says

Malaysian police have arrested 36 Bangladeshi nationals this week, who were found to be "directly involved in a radical militant movement based on Islamic State extremist beliefs and violent ideology", Malaysian home minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated today (27 June).

Saifuddin said the police's planned security operations had started from 24 April this year with three phases of arrests in Selangor and Johor, reports Malay Mail.

Out of the 36 nabbed, five have been charged under the offences relating to terrorism in the Penal Code, he said.

Meanwhile, 15 have been issued orders for deportation, and the remaining 16 are under further investigation, he added.

The minister also said the police had found that this group had created recruitment cells within their community for the purposes of "indoctrination of radical beliefs, collecting funds for terrorism activities and to topple the legitimate government in their country of origin".

He said the home ministry will continue to strengthen intelligence capabilities and increase enforcement, besides working together with both domestic and foreign security agencies to ensure Malaysia remains peaceful, stable and free from threats of terrorism.