KUALA LUMPUR: A group of 13 Malaysians who left to join the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) to fight in Syria are now itching to return to Malaysia.
The 13 are caught in the all-out offensive by the United States-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against IS fighters in eastern Syria and some have contacted their families pleading to return home.
Al-Jazeera reported that Malaysian police were working with the Syrian authorities to bring them back home.
The news agency, quoting Special Branch counterterrorism unit head Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, reported that as the offensive was entering its final stage, more Malaysians were longing to return home.
“We are trying to bring them home.
“But, you know, the situation is difficult as it involves many parties from different countries,” he told Al Jazeera.
Ayob Khan said Muslim leaders and psychologists would evaluate the returnees’ ideology, even as some countries are attempting to strip former fighters and their families of citizenship and prevent them from returning.
Malaysia has made it clear that its citizens would be allowed to come back, provided they comply with checks and enforcement, and completed a one-month government-run rehabilitation programme.
“Not everyone will be detained but all returnees will be interrogated,” Ayob Khan said.
“We will conduct thorough checks and investigations on each returnee.
“We will bring in ulama and psychologists to evaluate their ideology and psychological make-up.
“We will compare intelligence which we received from friendly foreign services.
“If there is evidence that a returnee was involved in IS militant activities, he or she will be charged in court,” he was quoted as saying.
To date, 11 Malaysians have returned to the country. Eight were charged in court and convicted, all of them men. The other three were one woman and two children aged 3 and 5.
“The woman went through a rehabilitation programme and has now returned to her kampung,” Ayob said.
“She continues to be monitored.”
Even though IS has all but collapsed in Iraq and Syria, police said there were Malaysians who were still willing to fight for the group.
“We are keeping an eye on them,” Ayob said.
“Those who cannot go to Syria are now setting their sights on Mindanao in southern Philippines where militant groups have links to IS,” he said, adding that there were still 51 Malaysians in Syria, including 17 children.
A total of 102 Malaysians are known to have left the country to join IS.
Forty were killed fighting in Syria and Iraq; including nine who ended their lives as suicide bombers.