KLIA shooting case suspect attempts to flee the country

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said it was based on the suspect's frequent travel records abroad, besides having his passport as well as Riyal and Baht currencies with him.

Speaking at a media conference in the Kelantan police contingent headquarters today, he said the police are also looking into the method used by the suspect to escape abroad.

"His travel records showed he made frequent trips abroad such as to Saudi Arabia and Thailand before entering Malaysia.

"... yes, there is indeed an attempt by the suspect to escape through the country's border and we are still collecting more information," he said.

Commenting on whether the suspect had applied for a visa to go abroad, Mohd Shuhaily said the matter was still under investigation.

Mohd Shuhaily said initial investigations showed the suspect arrived in Kelantan on April 14 using the same car, namely a Honda Civic, but changed the car's registration plate number to avoid his movements being detected.

He said before being arrested, the man was staying at a hotel in Kota Bharu.

"The suspect has four identity cards belonging to other people and one of the identity cards was used to register with the hotel," he said.

He said the suspect used someone else's identity card to avoid being identified by the public and detected by the authorities.

"But based on intelligence, the police managed to arrest the man near a private hospital at about 3 pm after a brief struggle," he said.

He said the man went to the private hospital to collect his complete medical examination report which had been completed before his arrest.

Commenting on whether the man had other networks in the shooting case, Mohd Shuhaily said the suspect moved alone without the help of other individuals.

"The suspect's firearm is also believed to have been obtained illegally from a neighbouring country, how the suspect obtained it, we will investigate," he said.

Mohd Shuhaily said an examination shows the suspect's mental health is normal and that the man planned the shooting of his wife by himself.

"After the suspect opened fire at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport), the man did not go anywhere else or meet any individual to ask for help, but instead continued his journey to Kelantan," he said.

He said a week before the shooting incident, the suspect had just returned from Saudi Arabia and then went to Bangkok, Thailand and entered the country through Kelantan.

Meanwhile, the police also seized a Glock 19 pistol, a magazine containing eight live bullets and a box containing 24 live bullets, a Honda Civic car, six mobile phones of various brands, a sum of Riyal and Baht foreign currencies and a passport .

Yesterday, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed that the suspect involved in the incident was arrested at about 3pm yesterday, at a location in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

In an incident around 1.30 am last Sunday, a man fired two shots, one of which hit his wife's bodyguard.

The bodyguard is being treated at a hospital and is in a stable condition.

The police previously tried to track down Hafizul Harawi, 38, to help investigate the case.

-- BERNAMA