PASIR MAS: The six men detained by police on suspicion of possessing bomb-making components here on Sunday are Thai nationals from southern Thailand.
Five of them are neighbours in Kampung Perol, Jenereh, here, while the sixth lives about 1km away.
A wife of one of the men, who wanted to be known as “Yah”, 30, said she was shocked when police raided their home and took away her husband, 40, at midnight.
“My family was sleeping when I heard a loud sound coming from our neighbour’s house. Several men, believed to be policemen, then came to our house. My husband was arrested when he opened the door.”
Yah said she was from Kampung Deraman, in Yala, Thailand, but moved here with her husband and their three children a year ago.
She was surprised over the arrest of her husband, as he was only working as a carpenter.
“He is not involved in any group and has not done anything wrong.
“The battery unit and wires found in our house came from my children’s broken toys. My husband wanted to repair them.”
Yah said she believed that her husband and the other men had been slandered by villagers, who felt uneasy with their presence.
Police had cordoned off four wooden houses, which were located next to each other, with yellow tape and several cars were parked nearby.
On Sunday, Kelantan police chief Datuk Dr Ab Rahman Ismail said bomb-making components were seized following the arrests of six men with possible links to the Islamic State group.