M'sia, Philippine govts 'conspired', High Court told

A communication interception processing staff, who was testifying as a 'protected witness', said in an intercepted telephone conversation that a suspect, Basil B. Samiul was warned by a man dubbed, 'Lelaki Sabah' (Sabah man) - as his identity was not revealed in the conversation - to be on alert and that "we are being used".

"I don't know who 'we' and what 'the governments of Malaysia and the Philippines conspired' meant by 'Lelaki Sabah'," said the witness through a court interpreter.

The conversation in the Bajau language, in which Basil contacted the individual was intercepted by the police on Feb 25, 2013 at 10.28am.

The witness was testifying in the trial of 30 individuals linked to the intrusion by Sulu gunmen at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February 2013.

The witness also said the 'Lelaki Sabah' then passed the line to an individual known as Han who told Basil that some media practitioners had interviewed a sultan, requesting him (sultan) not to believe the government of the Philippines.

While unable to identify who the media practitioners were, the witness also said Han informed the suspect that the said media had told the sultan to stand firm on his right on the Sabah claim.

"Han had also asked why Malaysia, being a Muslim country did not return Sabah to the sultan," said the witness.

Earlier, the witness said Basil received a call from another individual, also dubbed by the police as 'Lelaki Sabah', who told the suspect that he (Lelaki Sabah) heard news on television that the Malaysian Army had taken over Kampung Tanduo.

In the telephone conversation in Bahasa Malaysia intercepted on Feb 24, 2013 at 3.44pm, the witness said Basil told the individual that Malaysian news would only air statements that were favourable to the Malaysian Government.

In the dock are 27 Filipinos and three local residents who are facing one to multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group and waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

They are also alleged to have recruited members for a terrorist group or willfully harboured individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.

The offences were allegedly committed between Feb 12 and April 10, 2013.