Recent arrests of those with terror links working at airport, Customs Dept, opens door to horrific possibilities, says expert
GLOBAL terror group the Islamic State may have operatives and supporters firmly planted in some of the country’s most strategic areas.
Counterterrorism experts believe that IS have some of the country’s airports, including the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), practically covered.
Despite this, counterterrorism operatives may have averted a potential catastrophe when they arrested a security guard employed by Malaysia Airlines with links to IS on Sunday. Another man, working as a security guard in Kuantan, was also arrested on Jan 27.
The Indonesian, who is a permanent resident, when caught, had on him an airsoft gun and three volumes of the terror group’s ideology book Tarbiyah Jihadiyyah. He had worked in KLIA before being transferred to Kuantan Airport.
The Indonesian was arrested on his way to Syria with his family. Had his plans not been disrupted by the federal police’s anti-terror division, the worry is that he would end up obeying the call of IS leaders’ for their members and supporters to carry out attacks back home.
The New Straits Times learnt that the suspect’s job scope included ensuring the airline’s flight operations safety as well as anti-pilferage, anti-sabotage and anti-hijacking.
A source told the NST that he had full access to MAS aircraft, including the cockpit.
“At the terminal, the suspect’s staff access goes all the way to the aircraft.
“He also handles regular checks on aircraft on overnight layovers and was responsible for sealing the aircraft door for the next flight,” the source said.
The source said the other IS member arrested in Kuantan worked as a security guard and was equipped with a “Trusty PM 4” shotgun to man a guard post at Wisma Kastam (Customs Department office).
Meanwhile, a counterterrorism expert said for IS, having recruits on the inside working as security personnel for airlines was as good as it gets.
“The man working at the airport would have sound knowledge of security procedures of the whole building,” he told the NST.
Southeast Asia regional director for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals Andrin Raj cited a Jan 11 case in which three Malaysian aircraft bound for home from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport were forced to be vacated and thoroughly screened following
a bomb hoax.
The authorities, he said, should look into the possibility that the Indonesian security guard arrested here could have had a hand in the incident.
Reports said India’s domestic intelligence and security service, the Central Bureau of Investigation, received a tip-off from Interpol and an alert in the form of a Voice over Internet Protocol call. The anonymous caller spoke about a bomb before hanging up.
“What happened should not be simply viewed as a hoax as it could be a prelude to the real thing,” Andrin said.
“The threat is imminent and
the number of IS sympathisers caught three weeks ago and in the past year tells you that something is brewing.
“There were also incidents where home-made bombs were found.
Why is this so?
“It only takes one terrorist to pull off an attack and send the authorities scrambling,” he said.