Trio charged with attempting to support IS

Three men were charged in the Sessions Court here Thursday with attempting to give support to the so-called Islamic State militant group (IS) by taking a flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

Architect Mohd Syafrein Rasid, 26, from Kuantan, Pahang; businessman Mohd Rosmadi Che Daud, 42, from Ipoh, Perak, and engineer Mohamad Yusoffe Ishak, 26, from Arau, Perlis, were alleged to have taken the Qatar Airways flight from KL International Airport (KLIA) to Istanbul to become members of the terrorist group.

They were charged with committing the offence at the Immigration Counter, KLIA Departure Hall in Sepang, Selangor, at about 8.55am last Sept 25.

The trio also faced an alternative charge with taking the flight in an attempt to give support to IS by entering Syria through Istanbul at the same place, time and date.

However, no plea was recorded.

They were charged under Section 130J(1)(a) of the Penal Code, to be read together with Section 511 of the same law, which provides an imprisonment of 15 years or fine, if found guilty.

Judge Aizatul Akmal Maharani set Nov 30 for mention to transfer the case to the High Court.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Shukor Abu Bakar while the accused, who were not given bail, were unrepresented.