4 'extremists' held for planning attacks in Malaysia
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Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian police have detained four alleged extremists suspected of forming a cell linked to the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit and planning attacks on high-profile people and non-Muslim religious buildings, authorities said on Monday.
Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said the security forces were carrying out a search and capture operation to detain three other alleged terrorists, Efe news reported.
The four suspects -- one Malaysian, one Indonesian and two Rohingyas from Myanmar -- were arrested during raids conducted between May 5 and May 7 in the Klang Valley and Terengganu.
The IS cell was planning to kill four high-profile people and launch a series of attacks on non-Muslim religious buildings as well as leisure centres, Bador said in a press conference.
The Malaysian suspect, 34, was the alleged brain behind the terror cell and had outlined the targets.
During the operation, the authorities seized six home-made explosive devices and firearms with ammunition, among other things.
The country's law enforcement authorities have arrested more than 300 suspects in recent years for alleged ties to the IS, while an estimated 100 Malaysians have fought in the ranks of the terror outfit in Syria and Iraq.
