Lodge police report over books with dubious meaning of jihad - Bukit Aman

Bukit Aman Special Branch (E1) deputy director Datuk Mohd Sofian Md Makinuddin said this was because false concept and wrong meaning of jihad had become the main ideology of Daesh militant group in influencing and recruiting its new members.

He said most of the people detained for alleged involvement in militant activities such as Daesh, usually possessed jihad-related reading materials.

"They normally read books on jihad, but they were not aware that the books did not contain the true meaning of jihad.

"(The true concept of) jihad does not ask people to blow themselves up and kill people, this is wrong and this kind of jihad has clearly deviated from its original meaning. We cannot call these people jihadists," he said.

Mohd Sofian said this to reporters at a friendly shooting competition organised by the Bukit Aman's Special Branch at the General Operations Force Central Brigade Shooting Range here today.

He said such reading materials were probably obtained from the black market before they were reprinted and distributed to selected people.

"We are monitoring (them), but parents must also play their parts in monitoring their children.

"Monitoring of the social media, especially Facebook, is vital as it has become the main medium for Daesh in recruiting new members," he said.

On Sept 6, Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said a total of 239 people in the country had been detained since 2013 for alleged involvement in the Daesh militant activities.