05/15/2019 Malaysia (International Christian Concern) – Malaysian authorities foiled a plot by the Islamic State (IS) to assassinate high profile Malaysians and attack Buddhist, Hindu temples, and Christian churches.
The terrorism plot was uncovered with the arrest of four men last week, one of them registered by the UN as a refugee, in Kuala Lumpur and in Trengganu, a state on the east coast of the peninsula. The hunt is still on for at least three more members as investigations continue.
The would-be terrorists include a Malaysian, an Indonesian and two Rohingya, according to Malaysia’s new chief of police, Abdul Hamid Bador, at a news conference held on May 13.
“Our counter terrorism unit found a ‘wolf pack’ allied with IS (Islamic State) who were planning to assassinate high profile targets and launch simultaneous terror attacks on entertainment outlets as well as Hindu and Buddhist temples and Christian churches,” he told the media.
The group took order from a Malaysian militant based in Syria, though his identity has not yet been determined. He “instructed the cell members to launch the attack,” and the suspects had “been planning it since January,” said the police chief. “They communicate via WhatsApp,” he added.
The suspects claimed that they were planning to avenge the death of a Muslim firefighter who died during clashes at a Hindu temple last year, during the first week of Ramadan.
“They planned to kill those they felt offended Islam or didn’t defend Muslim rights,” according to the police chief.
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