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| Southeast Asia |
| Malaysian ex-army officer arrested for al-Qaeda links |
| 2003-03-02 |
| The former Malaysian Armed Forces colonel arrested for alleged involvement in the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) had made contact with the al-Qaeda while serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Oh, isn't that comforting? Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Col (R) Abdul Manaf Kamsuri was the only one who had made contact with the al-Qaeda while in Bosnia, and was subsequently advised to resign, mail.com reported. Najib said from their surveillance, it was evident that Manaf acted on his own and did not influence other personnel in the force. "No other armed forces personnel is involved with him or his activities," he said, adding that the ministry had been monitoring Manaf's movements since he started serving in the peacekeeping mission. "We continued to monitor his moves until the police decided to curb his activity under the Internal Security Act," he said after accompanying Agriculture Minister Datuk Effendi Norwawi on a site visit to the Agriculture Ministry's Incorporated Project in Pahang Tua/Langgar, here. The Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai confirmed that Manaf was picked up from his house at Jalan Kebun in Shah Alam. Najib added that the Defence Ministry would continue to monitor all armed forces personnel on overseas missions. I should hope so... In Kuala Lumpur, Norian said police were looking into Manaf's travels and activities, including his time in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Presumably, he went to Afghanistan after he retired... Asked whether the police would treat soldiers arrested for involvement in JI any differently from others, he said this would not be so. "They are equal before the law. I have arrested my own men before," he said. Manaf is the third former or current Malaysian military personnel reported to have been arrested under the ISA for involvement in a terrorist organisation. Last month, a Royal Malaysian Air Force sergeant was arrested at the RMAF base in Labuan for alleged involvement in JI. The sergeant is the only known serving military personnel suspected to be involved in the group. Last year, police arrested former army captain Yazid Sufaat. Yeah, but I wonder if three represents a trend? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |