Nearly 80 Malaysians joined IS in Syria - Police
Muhafandi Muhamad
April 30, 2015 10:30 MYT
April 30, 2015 10:30 MYT
Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said of the 80, 63 have been identified with 54 of them are men.
Nearly 80 Malaysians are currently in Syria, believed to have joined the Islamic State militant group, said Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division.
Its principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said of the 80, 63 have been identified with 54 of them are men.
He said all are Malaysian citizens from all over the country.
Ayob Khan said police have also identified seven civil servants from different departments among the identified 63 people.
The police believe there are more government servants involved and are trying to join the IS militant group.
“The 63 in Syria has been identified as Malaysians but the number could be 80. Currently we are in the midst of identifying them,” he said when met by pressmen after the ‘IS Reality @Jihad’ forum on Wednesday.
Ayob was a member of the forum panel.
He said efforts to bring back the Malaysians who have joined the militant group were hampered by the conflict in Syria.
Despite that, he said, efforts to trace and identify the Malaysians in Syria are on-going with the cooperation and information from neighboring countries.