TAWAU: The three men shot dead at a plantation near Batu 2, Jalan Kalabakan-Keningau here on Tuesday, could have been terrorists.
Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander Datuk Hazani Ghazali in not denying the possibility, said security forces believed they were members of an organised and trained crime group based on their tactical capabilities and weapons owned.
He added, however, they have yet to determine the real identities of the suspects and their motives.
“A thorough investigation is being carried out with assistance from Bukit Aman, Interpol and the Philippines authorities,” he said at a press conference at the district police headquarters here today.
In the 3.20pm incident yesterday, three armed suspects died after an exchange of fire with the police.
The three were in a Perodua Kancil which was reported stolen in Kota Kinabalu in 2010. Police also found a Colt M16 A1 5.56mm rifle, a samurai sword, a revolver, mask and gloves in the car.
Hazani added they are also probing the probability that the trio could be linked to Daesh militants arrested in the state in the past week.
Esscom is also investigating how the firearms used by the suspects were obtained and brought into Sabah.
Hazani said Esscom will carry out road blocks along the Kalabakan route and several other areas including Telupid, suspected to be used as 'laluan tikus' (illegal routes) by cross border criminals to conduct their activities in the state.
Last week, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun in a statement said the Bukit Aman’s Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division apprehended 10 individuals suspected to be involved in terrorism-related activities in Sabah during an operation from Jan 24 to Feb 6.
Those detained included nine men and a woman, who were picked up in Sandakan and Penampang.
The suspects are believed to be handling the movement of the militants between Sabah to southern Philippines. Fuzi said the group had made Sandakan as their base and transit point before smuggling recruits into the Philippines.