KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today fixed five days from Sept 26 for trial of a college student in Cairo, Egypt, who is charged with giving support to the al-Qaeda (Jund Al Aqsa) terrorist group by becoming its member.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah set the date after the case, involving Mohamad Hidayat Azman, 19, following a request from the prosecution. The case was fixed for mention today.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Syazwani Mohamad Sobry, who prosecuted, requested the court to have the hearing after the Aidiladha celebration to ensure the presence of witnesses from outside Kuala Lumpur.
Mohamad Hidayat Azman, 19, is the first person to be prosecuted for involvement with al-Qaeda activities in the country.
Last May 12, Mohamad Hidayat, a student at Markaz Salam in Hayyu Asyir, Cairo, pleaded not guilty to a charge of entering Syria to give support to the al-Qaeda (Jund Al Aq terrorist group by becoming its member.
Mohamad Hidayat, from Kuala Bagan Tiang, Tanjung Piandang, Perak, was charged with committing the offence by boarding a flight from KL International Airport (KLIA) to Syria between Sept 5, 2014 and Sept 1, 2015.
He was charged under Section 130J (1)(a) of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 130J of the same law, which provides life imprisonment or jail of up to 30 years, or fine, and forfeiture of items used in committing the offence. --Bernama