KUALA LUMPUR: Israeli man Shalom Avitan pleaded not guilty to two charges of possessing 158 bullets and trafficking six firearms in a hotel room in Jalan Ampang last month.
The 38-year-old man claimed trial to two charges framed under the Arms Act and the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 before Sessions Court judge Tasnim Abu Bakar.
Avitan, who was brought into the court room at 10.25am, said he understood both charges, which were read out to him in English.
"I understand. Not guilty," he pleaded as he stood in the dock guarded by four policemen.
On the first charge, he had allegedly had in his possession ammunition amounting to 158 bullets stored in four boxes without an arms license or arms permit.
The offence under Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960 carries imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or the maximum RM10,000 fine.
On the second charge, he was accused of trafficking six firearms, namely Glock 19 USA 9x 10, Sig Sauer P320SP, Cougar 8000 FT, Glock 17 Gen4 Austria 9x19, N&P 9C Smith & Wesson Spring Field MA USA and Stoeger Cougar 8000F.
The offence under Section 7(1) of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 carries an imprisonment for a term of not less than 30 years but not exceeding 40 years, with whipping with not less than six strokes.
He was accused of committing both offences between 6.46pm on March 26 and 6pm on March 28 in a room of a hotel in Jalan Ampang.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam did not offer bail as the offence was unbailable.
Avitan's defence counsel Navinjit Singh agreed with the prosecution that no bail would be granted to his client.
"We have no objections," said Navinjit, who was assisted by co-counsel Jeffrey Ooi.
Judge Tasnim set May 21 for mention.
The court room was restricted to only members of the media and the authorities.
The court room gallery was packed with policemen, including Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain who followed the entire proceedings.
Earlier, Avitan arrived at the court complex,here, at 8.10am under heavy security by balaclava clad armed policemen.
Dressed in a black T-shirt and beige khakis, Avitan was believed to be an Israeli agent, was brought in via police's Black Maria vehicle.
He was escorted by officers from the Bukit Aman CID to the lock-up area within the court compound.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had yesterday said the Israeli man who was arrested with six guns and 200 bullets in his possession at a hotel in March will be charged in court today.
On March 27, he was detained at a hotel in Jalan Ampang where he was found with six handguns.
Investigations found Avitan entered the country on March 12 via a flight from the United Arab Emirates using a French passport.
He is believed to have come to Malaysia to kill the head of a rival criminal family.
Subsequently, police arrested a husband and wife, aged 42 and 40, at a Ramadan bazaar in Kuala Selangor on March 29, who were suspected of selling the firearms to Avitan.
The couple, Sharifah Faraha Syed Husin, 41, and her husband Abdul Azim Mohd Yasin, 43, was charged at the Klang Sessions Court last Friday.
On April 6, Razarudin said eight more individuals, including three foreigners, were detained in separate two-day operations from Apr 4 conducted in the city and Johor to facilitate the investigations.
The detainees comprised five local men, two Turkish nationals, and one Georgian man, aged between 29 and 60, who were remanded for a week from the date of their arrest.
Razarudin announced that the recent arrests, including the Israeli man, have brought the total to 16 individuals, who have been apprehended in cooperation with the Bukit Aman CID, Kuala Lumpur Contingent CID, Commercial Crime Investigation Department and the Special Branch.