Four including a Filipino charged in Malaysia with being members of Abu Sayyaf terror group

KAJANG (Malaysia) — It was a tense atmosphere at the Sessions Court in Selangor when four men including a Filipino were charged with being members of Abu Sayyaf militant group and omitting information related to the terror group.

The four - Hajar Abdul Mubin, 25, Ahmad Omar, 52, Jaffar Ahmad, 26, and Filipino Abdul Syamir Dalibin, 25, pleaded guilty to the offences when they were jointly charge before Judge Surita Budin on Monday (Sept 25).

They were among 19 people nabbed by police in a series of raids between July 4 and Aug 30 believed to have planned terror attacks during the Sea Games closing ceremony and National Day celebration.

About 20 policemen in full-face balaclava escorted the handcuffed accused into the courtroom about 11am.

Several people believed to be family members of the accused burst into tears when the charges were read by the translator in Malay.

Some of them tried to talk to the accused but were prevented by the policemen.

Hajar was accused of being a member of the Abu Sayyaf group at a house ZA 2-14 Lorong Pangsa Baiduri 2, Taman Desa Baiduri, Cheras, between 2010 and Aug 30 this year.

The offence for being a member of a terrorist group under Malaysia's laws carries life imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

The other three were charged with the intentional omission of information regarding a terrorist act at MAG-03- Persiaran Pangsa Baiduri, Taman Desa Baiduri, Cheras, between 2008 and Aug 30.

The trio was charged under Section 130M with intentionally omitting to give information on the terrorist act, which carries seven years imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

The court, however, did not hand down sentences as the case will be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court on Oct 16.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Noorhafizan Zakaria did not offer bail to the accused as they were arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.

The four were unrepresented.

Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun in a statement on Sept 5 said police had thwarted a plan by a member of Abu Sayyaf group to launch an attack during the closing ceremony of Sea Games and National Day celebration.

"The mastermind was a 25-year-old man who had infiltrated Sandakan before he travelled to Kuala Lumpur in December 2015.

"He has been involved in encounters with Philippines military, six kidnappings of Philippines nationals as well as responsible for slaughtering a Christian hostage in southern Philippines in 2010," he was quoted as saying.

The mastermind was believed to have met with Malaysian militants Dr Mahmud Ahmad, Mohd Najib Hussein and Muhammad Juraimee Awang Ramlee at Kampung Tipo-Tipo in Basilan in September 2015. NEW STRAITS TIMES