Police Nab Foreigner Linked To IS Militant Group

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Bernama) -- A foreign man, believed to be linked to the Islamic State (IS) group of militants has been arrested by the Counter Terrorism Division of the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman. The 31-year-old suspect was picked up on June 9. Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the suspect was on the 'Most Wanted List' of the authorities in North African countries. "The suspect was arrested in 2007 and jailed for two years in his home country for involvement in terrorist activities. "The man left for Syria in 2013 to join the IS and was arrested early last year while trying to enter Turkey. "He entered Malaysia in March last year, using a forged student pass of a public higher education institute in the Klang Valley (an area comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor)," he said in a statement here Saturday. Khalid said the student pass, obtained illegally from a syndicate operating in the Klang Valley, enabled the suspect to stay and engage in activities which threatened the country's security. "We will conduct follow-up investigations to identify members of the forgery syndicate to avoid exploitation by foreign terrorists who want to make this country as a base for their operations." The suspect was arrested under Section 56 (1) (1) of the Immigration Act for allegedly not possessing valid travel documents. -- BERNAMA