M'sia not a recruitment ground for terrorists

Malaysia is not a regional recruitment port for terrorist.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said terrorists can be recruited anywhere as a result of today's globalisation and technology.

"Terrorists don't just come into Malaysia but also travel to Middle East countries," he said.

He was commenting on the development of the two Malaysians arrested for suspected links to Al-Qaeda in Lebanon on Oct 18, at a press conference after the 22nd Delivery Task Force meeting under the National Key Result Area on crime at the Parliament building today.

"Cooperation with international surveillance agencies revealed that although terrorists have been entering and leaving the country, they have never targeted Malaysia," he said.

However, a graver cause for concern was the possible involvement of terrorists in transnational crimes such as smuggling drugs, money laundering and human trafficking, he remarked.

"This underground economy, these black-market funds from transnational crimes will be too huge to handle if it gets into the hands of terrorists. Then it'll be a war against terrorism," he said.

He informed that efforts to enhance cooperation with international agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States, intelligence agencies in India, Pakistan and China will also be stepped up to curb such activities.