Malaysia Arrests Suspected Islamist Militant

A major arrest in Malaysia today. A suspected leader of a Singapore radical Islamist group linked to the 2002 Bali bombings is now behind bars.

Mas Selamat Kastari was arrested in Johor, just across the strait in Singapore. It puts an end to a year-long manhunt for the city-state's most wanted man.

Security experts say the capture of Mas Selamat is important because it fosters cross-border cooperation. It also prevented Selamat from connecting with militants in Indonesia to plan attacks such as the one that killed over 200 people in Bali in 2002.

Malaysia's government says the arrest came through intelligence from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The possibility of extradition depends on discussions with Singapore.

[Hishamuddin Hussein, Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs]:
"He was planning something to which allows us to arrest him. I can't go into details. This is too sensitive. It involves three parties: it involves the Singapore government, involves the Indonesian Government and it involves cooperation between intelligence agencies under the three governments. And this is something that I don't want to jeopardize because it may involve other people as well."

Mas Selamat is alleged to have been planning to hijack a plane and crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport.

His escape through the toilet window of a prison in Singapore in February 2008 sparked a huge manhunt and an Interpol alert.

Officials say Mas Selamat was a leader of the Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiah. Also known as J.I., its a radical Islamic group with links to al-Qaeda and is responsible for several attacks across Southeast Asia, including the Bali bombings.

Mas Selamat was first arrested in the Indonesian island of Bintan in February 2003, but was released after serving jail time for immigration offences.

He was again arrested in January 2006 by Indonesian police, who then handed him over to Singaporean authorities.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

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• NTDTV
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• Malaysia
• intelligence
• Arrests
• Islamist
• Militant
• Singapore
• radical
• Bali
• bombings
• Johor
• Security
• Indonesia

[brandonjsmith1994]

I don't remember this. Good find.

[kurtsean]

now MAs is not Selamat...

[kaziabdal]

How much was the "Militant" paid by British intelligence?