Hundreds of Malaysians linked to IS: Bad news for 2018

A report published by Channel News Asia indicates the extent of the penetration of the so-called IS-Daesh ideology in Malaysia. Below is a count:

IS Plots foiled in Malaysia: Five terror plots foiled in 2017 alone

From 2012 to 2017: Total number of terror plots disrupted by the police is 19

Number of arrested for ISIS or IS links in Malaysia: 105 (2017) – 119 (2016)

Malaysians with IS in Syria: 53 Malaysians are in Syria

Malaysian suicide bombers: Nine Malaysians died carrying out suicide bombing attacks for IS

Dead Malaysians fighting for IS: 34 died fighting for IS.

Returned Home from Syria: Another eight of them have returned home to Malaysia

Joined Marawi Fight in Philippines: Five Malaysians joined the insurgency in Marawi

Jailed IS members in Malaysia: Forty one have been charged in court

The Channel News Asia report on IS says Malaysians make up 52 of the 105 arrested this year, while the remaining 53 are foreigners, according to police.

Filipinos comprised the largest group of foreign terror suspects. Twenty five of them were arrested, while Indonesians made up the second largest group. Twelve of them were picked up.

police said Malaysia has arrested suspects from regional and global terror groups including Al Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf Group, East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Islamic State of Iraq and others.

The militants see Malaysia as a transit zone and a potential safe haven.

A young Malaysian was recently arrested in Pakistan and suspected of IS links. He tried to carry weapons with him (stacked in a Microwave Oven and his shoes) to Malaysia while flying through Thai Airways to Bangkok.

No further information has so far been issued on the Malaysian now under arrest in Pakistan only that he will be prosecuted there and that the Malaysian police is trying to get him extradited.