New Straits Times reported that Judicial Commissioner Nordin Hassan sentenced brothers Mohd Anwar Azmi, 33, and Mohd Nurkamal Azmi, 30, both general workers, to 25 years jail each. The other two – trader Izwan Shameer Suzaimi, 26, and shop assistant Muhammad Luqman Hakim Abdul Aziz, were jailed 20 years each.

Sentencing for a 17-year-old who was jointly charged with the four men, was deferred to May 25.

In passing the sentence, Nordin said it must be deterrent enough to send out a strong message to the Malaysian public that terror will not be tolerated in Malaysia.

“It must be a lesson to others who are planning to do the same. Imagine what can happen to Malaysia and its people when there is chaos here.

“No Malaysian wants to live in fear or wants their country to be in a chaotic state,” he was quoted as saying.

The five were arrested by the Bukit Aman Counter Terrorism Unit with six others near the foothills of Gunung Nuang in Hulu Langat in April last year.

It was reported they were arrested while mixing chemicals to make explosives, and were planning attacks on government buildings, entertainment outlets and nightclubs.