Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !

Mas Selamat Kastari	Mas Selamat Kastari	Jemaah Islamiyah	Southeast Asia				20030204
	Mas Selamat Kastari	Jemaah Islamiah	Southeast Asia				20030701

Southeast Asia

Police: Religious depts not tough enough against extremism

2017-01-10

[FREEMALAYSIATODAY] Police have told state religious departments to be more aggressive in monitoring Islamist preachers to ensure they do not promote radical ideologies that could inspire terrorist acts. Bukit Aman’s anti-terrorism chief, Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, said a lack of enforcement by religious authorities had given room to foreign and local preachers to engage with the public unmonitored. Some of them were spreading teachings that were not in line with mainstream Sunni beliefs, he added. “We have noticed that some of these teachings lean towards extremism although the contents do not directly tell the listeners to cause harm to fellow Muslims,” he said. He gave the example of preachers who would not directly tell their audiences that some Ahli Sunnah Wa al-Jamaah (SWJ) teachings were blasphemous but would call them “bid’ah (innovative)” instead. Some of these preachers’ followers, being aware of prophetic traditions that condemn innovation in religion, might conclude that it would be permissible to kill the so-called innovators among SWJ adherents, Ayob said. He said his department’s role did not include monitoring preachers, but added that it nevertheless had a list of suspects. “If the teachings are against true Islamic teachings, we will advise the religious departments on the preachers and it is up to them to take further action,” he said. “By right, the preachers should get permission from the state religious department, but apparently many do not.” He said the department’s current list included some preachers hailing from West Asian and African countries. Ayob spoke of a Singaporean preacher, 64-year-old Rasul Dahri, who was arrested for the third time last year. He had been active in the Klang Valley and Johor for a few years although the National Fatwa Council, as well as the Penang Religious Department, had banned seven of his books. He also spoke of terror suspect Mas Selamat Kastari of Singapore, whom Malaysian police arrested in April 2009, more than a year after he escaped from detention in his home country. He said Mas followed Rasul Dahri’s classes in Johor between between 1987 and 1989 before deciding to join Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Citing other examples, Ayob said JI leaders Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar managed to sneak into Malaysia in 1985 because of lack of monitoring by religious departments. “This resulted in the recruitment of almost 300 Malaysians and citizens of other Asean countries as JI members.” Ayob said the Johor religious department was one of the strictest in the country when it came to enforcing the law. “It is very stern and would not allow preachers without credentials and approval to teach in the state.” He also commended the religious departments of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Terengganu, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak for strictness of enforcement. A counter-terrorism expert from Universiti Malaya said yesterday that religious departments should work harder to filter the activities of preachers in the country to curtail the spread of “salafi jihadi” ideologies. Balakrishnan RK Suppaiah acknowledged that countering the extremist ideology was difficult, but he said Malaysia could do it because it had the “right foundation” and a good police force. “People will question you for monitoring places of worship,” he said. “But we have to do it because we are a moderate country where religion is concerned.”

Link

Southeast Asia

Mas Selamat recapture on TV show

2011-06-18

[Straits Times] NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN footage of terrorist detainee Mas Selamat Kastari, 50, being recaptured two years ago in Kampung Tawakal in Skudai, Johor, will be shown on television this month. Mas Selamat: The Fugitive Terrorist chronicles the manhunt for the Singapore head of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) regional terrorist group after his 2008 escape from detention in Singapore. The documentary will air on Crime & Investigation Network (StarHub Channel 403) on June 30. The exclusive footage was obtained by director Ahmad Yazid, 27, and executive producer Lydia Lubon, 32, who produced the show under their Malaysian-based production company Rack Focus Films. They pitched the idea to cable TV channel provider AETN All Asia Networks and started the project in March last year. 'The angle was about the pay-off of tracking down and finally arresting Asia's most-wanted runaway,' said Ms Lubon over the telephone from Kuala Lumpur.

Link

Southeast Asia

Mas Selamat Kastari not a reflection of the Muslim community

2010-11-23

[Straits Times] THE actions of Mas Selamat Kastari's brother Asmom and his family in helping him escape two years ago are not a reflection of the wider Malay-Mohammedan community, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament. The community, he noted, had disapproved of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leader's deeds, and took part in the manhunt for him after he broke out of Whitley Road Detention Centre in 2008. 'We should therefore not allow this episode to affect the trust and goodwill that has been built up over the years between our different communities,' he said. 'Instead, this episode should reinforce how important it is for every Singaporean to unite together and assist the security agencies to overcome the threat of terrorism from a small number of persons in our society.' Mr Shanmugam made these points in a ministerial statement updating the House on ongoing investigations into how the former runaway beat feet. Several MPs sought clarifications that the matter would not affect relations among the various communities.

Link

Southeast Asia

Escaped Jemaa Islamiyah leader returned to Singapore

2010-09-24

Singapore's government said the suspected leader of the Singapore wing of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group is back in its custody two-and-a-half years after a daring jailbreak. The Home Ministry said Mas Selamat Kastari is "currently under investigation" and being held under the country's Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial. Malaysian police deported the suspect Friday—nearly 18 months after capturing him in southern Malaysia. More from Channel News Asia: SINGAPORE: Mas Selamat Kastari, the leader of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network, was handed over on Friday to Singapore custody by the Malaysian authorities. Mas Selamat had escaped from Singapore's Whitley Road Detention Centre on February 27, 2008 but was arrested in Malaysia's southern state of Johor on April 1, 2009 and detained under Malaysia's Internal Security Act until his repatriation on Friday. Clearly the Malaysian authorities had questions of their own for Mr. Selamat. Singapore officials said Mas Selamat was part of a plot to hijack an airliner in Bangkok and crash it into Singapore's Changi airport in 2001, following the September 11 attacks that year in the United States. Mas Selamat then fled Singapore in December 2001 after a security operation against Jemaah Islamiyah but was arrested on 3 February 2003 at Tanjung Pinang on the Indonesian island of Bintan. A busy man.

Link

Southeast Asia

Terror suspect Mas Selamat planned attack

2010-05-10

TERROR suspect Mas Selamat Kastari hatched plans to bomb targets here (ed: in Singapore) and in Malaysia as soon as he fled Singapore, says Malaysia's federal police chief, Tan Sri Musa Hassan. Speaking with Berita Minggu, the Sunday edition of Malay daily Berita Harian, Tan Sri Musa added that Mas Selamat was waiting for his Indonesian allies to enter Malaysia before carrying out his plans. However, his plans did not materialise because his allies, who were from the Indonesian city of Solo, backed out for fear of being captured. And Mas Selamat was captured by the Malaysian police soon after. Tan Sri Musa did not reveal the group's specific targets for security reasons. Speaking at the Royal Malaysian Police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur recently, he said: 'He (Mas Selamat) was waiting for this chance. If they had entered Malaysia, it would have been very dangerous for us.' However, a raid by the Malaysian authorities at Mas Selamat's hiding place at a village in Johor did not uncover any tools or bombs, as his plans were at an early stage, said Tan Sri Musa.

Link

Southeast Asia

Mas Selamat happy to be detained

2009-09-22

[Straits Times] JEMAAH Islamiah (JI) militant Mas Selamat Kastari is happy to be detained in Malaysia, but he hopes to see his wife and five children during the Hari Raya celebration, according to Suhakam (Malaysia's Human Rights Commission) vice-chairman Simon Sipaun. Tan Sri Sipaun told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat, who is currently detained under the Internal Security Act, did not have any complaints about the detention centre in Kamunting, Perak, when he visited him on Friday. 'He said he did not get tortured or beaten in the detention centre,' he said, in a telephone interview on Sunday 'He only wanted his family to visit him, but so far, they have not visited him yet.' Maybe they don't love him any more. I certainly wouldn't. Mr Sipaun said Mas Selamat, 48, looked calm and happy. The latter believed that the Singapore authorities had confiscated his family's travel documents; hence, they could not leave Singapore, he said. Mr Sipaun said Mas Selamat also claimed he had been drugged while he was in detention in Singapore. He said he did not feel normal most of the time and was always dizzy. According to Mr Sipaun, he met Mas Selamat for half an hour as part of Suhakam's routine checks on the detention centre. Suhakam is a human rights commission headed by government-appointed commissioners. Tan Sri Sipaun was once the Sabah Public Service Commission chairman. Suhakam carries out regular checks on detention centres and prisons throughout the country, to ensure there is no violation of human rights. Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam confirmed yesterday that his ministry would allow Mas Selamat's wife to visit him in Kamunting. 'We have no problem. As long as she has the proper travel documents, she can visit him anytime,' he said. But Singapore won't give Mrs. Selamat her documents, so the point is neatly moot.

Link

Southeast Asia

Noordins associates grilled

2009-07-22

[Straits Times] MALAYSIAN authorities revealed on Tuesday that they are questioning supporters of Noordin Mohammad Top, a wanted terrorist believed to be the mastermind of last week's Jakarta bombings. Three of his associates detained in Malaysia before the July 17 attacks are being interviewed and Malaysian intelligence officials are in Jakarta helping in the probe, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters on Tuesday. He said that Malaysian-born Noordin was not in the country, but police were watching his supporters. 'We are monitoring them. In fact, we detained three of them just before the bombing in Jakarta. They are helping us in the investigation,' he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said the three detained men were Malaysians suspected of belonging to the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) regional terror group. Asked if their detentions were linked to the Jakarta bombings, he responded: 'I'm not in the position to tell you that they are directly related to the bombings, but they are terrorists.' Earlier this month, police said they detained three alleged JI members in Johor on June 25. They are being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial. The three were identified as Sulaiman Bukhari, Latif Omar and Samsudin, according to the Abolish ISA Movement, a non-governmental organisation. Reports said they were aged between 43 and 53, and were ordinary JI members trying to revive the group's operations in Malaysia. They were said to have met Mas Selamat Kastari, the JI leader who escaped from detention in Singapore last year and was recaptured in Johor on April 1. Mas Selamat is also being detained under the ISA in Malaysia. Mr Hishammuddin said on Tuesday that last Friday's attacks on the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in Jakarta were more likely to be the work of an international terror network.

Link

Southeast Asia

Msia arrests 3 JI militants

2009-07-04

[Straits Times] MALAYSIA has arrested three men who allegedly met a top Singaporean terror suspect in a bid to revive the activities of the regional militant network, Jemaah Islamiyah, a news report and a rights activist say. Police arrested the suspects in southern Johor state on June 25 under the Internal Security Act, which allows for indefinite detention without trial, said Nalini Elumalai, a representative of the Movement to Abolish the ISA. The Star newspaper, quoting unidentified officials familiar with the investigation, said the three Malaysians were believed to have met with Mas Selamat Kastari, Jemaah Islamiyah's alleged former Singapore commander, who was also arrested in Johor on April 1. Mas Selamat, a Singaporean citizen of Indonesian origin, is alleged to have plotted to hijack a plane and fly it into Singapore's international airport. He was caught by the Indonesian police in 2006 and handed over to Singapore. The three detained were believed to be ordinary members of Jemaah Islamiyah who were attempting to revive the group's operations in Malaysia, the report said. Malaysia has arrested dozens of Jemaah Islamiyah members over the past eight years. Authorities were investigating if the three men have recruited any new members recently, The Star's report added. Malaysian Police Chief Musa Hassan declined to immediately comment, saying he was in a meeting. A Home Ministry official said he could not speak about the arrests. Mas Selamat was arrested in Johor more than a year after he escaped from a high-security prison in neighbouring Singapore in February 2008 by wriggling out of a bathroom window. Malaysia's government has said it will continue to hold Mas Selamat under the Internal Security Act to obtain more information about his activities.

Link

Southeast Asia

Manhunt for sons of terrorist

2009-06-29

[Straits Times] INDONESIAN police are hunting for two more suspects, believed to be Singaporeans, in their crackdown on the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network in the country. Sources said they are the sons of Samad Subari, 53, a long-time JI member nabbed in Bandarlampung shortly after the anti-terror squad Densus 88 detained fugitive Husaini Ismail in Central Java last weekend. Both men are Singaporeans 'The two sons escaped. We're still after them now,' said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Both of them are young adults and are involved in this. Both of them work as sellers of banana fritters.' Police criminal investigation director Susno Duadji would not reveal the number of Singaporeans nabbed during last weekend's security blitz in Central Java and Lampung in southern Sumatra. 'We have arrested six people,' said the commissioner-general, declining to provide further details. Husaini was the last member of a five-man cell arrested for plotting to crash a plane into Singapore's Changi Airport in 2002. Their leader was Mas Selamat Kastari. Among the six in custody now are Husaini's wife, Rasidah Subari, 44, their sons Lukman, 20, and Mukmin, 19, said Kompas daily. The Jakarta Globe, quoting sources, said yesterday that Husaini's wife and sons had entered Indonesia legally using their Singapore passports. But they had obtained Indonesian identity cards by using falsified documents. The Jakarta Globe also said that Husaini was related to Samad. Mas Selamat was deported to Singapore in 2006. He escaped in February last year and was recaptured in Johor in April this year.

Link

Southeast Asia

Hunt on for 2 more Jemaah Islamiyah suspects

2009-06-28

[Straits Times] INDONESIAN police are hunting for two more suspects, believed to be Singaporeans, in their crackdown on Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network in the country. Sources said both were the sons of Samad Subari, 53, a long-time JI member who was nabbed in Bandarlampung, shortly after the anti-terror squad Densus 88 detained fugitive Husaini Ismail in Central Java last weekend. Both men are also Singaporeans. 'The two sons escaped. We're still after them now,' said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Both of them are young adults and are involved in this. Both of them work as sellers of banana fritters.' Indonesian police criminal investigation director Susno Duadji would not reveal the number of Singaporeans nabbed during last weekend's security blitz in Central Java and Lampung in southern Sumatra. 'We have arrested six people,' said Commissioner General Susno, declining to provide further details. Husaini was the last member of a five-man cell arrested for plotting to crash a plane into Singapore's Changi airport in 2002. Their leader was Mas Selamat Kastari. Among the six people in custody now are Husaini's wife, Rasidah Subari, 44, their sons Lukman, 20, and Mukmin, 19, according to Kompas daily. The Jakarta Globe, quoting sources, said on Saturday that Husaini's wife and sons had entered Indonesia legally using their Singapore passports. But they had obtained Indonesian identity cards by using falsified documents. The Jakarta Globe also said that Husaini was related to Samad. Mas Selamat was deported to Singapore in 2006. He escaped in February last year and was recaptured in Johor in April.

Link

Southeast Asia

Mas Selamat posed a threat

2009-06-26

[Straits Times] THE Malaysian government did not extradite terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari to Singapore because he posed a threat to Malaysia and its neighbours and also put the people's safety at risk, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said today. The head of the Singapore cell of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in February last year. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said Mas Selamat was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) as he was a threat to the country, as well as its neighbours Singapore and Indonesia. 'We know his background, the details of his plan, network and contact with militant groups,' he told Parliament. 'From the information that we have gathered, it was a serious plan.' He said detention under the ISA would ensure the terrorist's activities and contacts with other militant groups in Asia could be contained. Prime Minister Najib Razak said last month that Mas Selamat would be detained for two years. Mr Hishammuddin told reporters: 'We did not extradite Mas Selamat as we are concerned it will undermine the country's peace and put the people's safety at risk.' He added that only 12 ISA detainees remained in custody, six of them Malaysians.

Link

Southeast Asia

MŽsia Žlet Mas Selamat freeŽ

2009-06-03

[Straits Times] MALAYSIA knew that a Singaporean terror suspect fled to the country months ago, but allowed him to remain free so he might lead the authorities to other militants, an official said on Monday. Mas Selamat Kastari was captured in Johor on April 1, more than a year after he escaped from Singapore. Officials were aware he had fled to Malaysia from 'the moment he came to our country', Malaysian Home Ministry Secretary-General Mahmood Adam said in an interview with The Associated Press. Police monitored his movements instead of arresting him immediately, because 'the most important (thing) sometimes is not the particular target' but his network, Mr Mahmood said. Mas Selamat alone is not as valuable as who is behind him, he added. Police arrested two other suspects in Johor at around the same time as they nabbed Mas Selamat. The Jemaah Islamiah leader lived in a village of about 100 people, rarely going out or mixing with other residents, before his capture. Mr Mahmood declined to say whether the authorities were on the verge of making further arrests. It was not clear from the interview when the Malaysians came to know of Mas Selamat's presence, and Mr Mahmood did not say when exactly he entered the country. A Singapore Home Affairs Ministry spokesman said on Monday that a joint operation between the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB) and Singapore's Internal Security Department pursued for several months a lead that Mas Selamat could be in Malaysia. 'But it was not until April 1, 2009, when MSB raided a suspect hideout arising from investigations into the lead, that it was confirmed that it was indeed Mas Selamat Kastari who was hiding there. We have just rechecked this sequence of events with our Malaysian counterparts.'

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More