Home Ministry monitors 1,000 Facebook accounts of terrorist groups

The Ministry of Home Affairs is monitoring 1,000 Facebook accounts of terrorist groups out to spread their ideology and recruit new members, the Dewan Rakyat was told Wednesday.

Deputy Minister Masir Kujat said the ministry also monitored 100 Twitter accounts and 50 websites and blogs.

"Terrorist groups are using the social media to draw and influence youths with their ideology. They are targeting youths skilled in using the social media," he told Datuk Mohd Zaim Abu Hasan (BN-Parit) who wanted statistics on terrorism closely linked to Daesh and Al-Qaeda over the past five years ago.

Masir said the terrorist groups committed cyber crime by spreading their ideology which deviated from true Islamic teachings.

Measures taken to curb the terrorist groups included organising information programmes at all levels on the threat posed by terrorism.

"Police, the Prisons Department and NGOs cooperate to give talks on the threat posed by terrorist groups via programmes in schools, colleges and universities and public programmes such as "Youths Reject Violence".

Replying to Mohd Zaim on measures to prevent Malaysians from being recruited by terrorist groups, Masir said the ministry had taken various measures, including arresting those involved with terrorist groups.

"A total of 177 people were arrested and action taken under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, the Prevention of Crime Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act, from 2013 to March 2016."