KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 47 Malaysians currently in Syria and Iraq are involved with the Daesh militant group, says Bukit Aman Police Special Branch director Datuk Mohamad Fuzi Harun.
He said they comprised 30 men, nine women and eight children, all of whom were among 72 people involved with Daesh, prior to this.
“Of the 72 linked to the militant group, 18 were reportedly killed while with Daesh in Syria, while seven others died as suicide bombers last year.
“Some of those involved in militant activities were arrested and charged in court,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.
Mohamad Fuzi said the police took measures to curb the spread of Daesh ideology by collaborating with the Immigration Department, KL International Airport (KLIA) and Interpol to monitor the country’s entry points.
“If they (Daesh militants) return to their country of origin via KLIA, they will be arrested immediately, and if they use other means, the police have the mechanism to detect them,” he added.
He said the police had the profile of the families of suspected Daesh militants and were constantly monitoring them closely.
Meanwhile, International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer in Islamic Studies and Political Science, Dr Ahmad El Muhammady said many people, especially those in rural areas were not wary of the Daesh threat.
“The government should organise programmes in rural areas to motivate and brief them on the threat posed by Daesh militants,” he said. --Bernama