Military, cops are Islamic State’s favourite recruits

Military, cops are Islamic State’s favourite recruits

Armed forces and police personnel preferred because they are trained for combat and have access to weapons and bombs, says brigadier general.

Nawawi-Daud
PETALING JAYA: Armed forces and police personnel are preferred by the Islamic State (IS) militant group when recruiting new members in Malaysia, The Star Online reported today.

According to the Armed Forces Religious Corps (Kagat) deputy director-general Brig-Gen Nawawi Daud, this is because military and police personnel are trained for combat, and also have knowledge and skills to handle firearms, as well as have access to weapons and bombs.

Nawawi was speaking at a forum about IS and its threats to Malaysia held by Utusan Malaysia at its office in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

According to Nawawi, Kagat makes constant efforts to make sure that members of the armed forces are resistant to IS, and this is done in the form of regular briefings and seminars to its members.

“Perhaps in the future, the armed forces and police can jointly come up with more integrated programmes to educate our men and women about the IS threat,” he was quoted as saying by the daily.

Another speaker at the forum, Special Branch officer Superintendent Ahmad Norisham Ma’arus said that the police have to date, foiled nine attempts by the militant group to carry out terror attacks in the country.

He said the new trend of IS getting its supporters to carry out attacks in their home countries are due to the fact that it has become increasingly difficult for them to travel to Syria.

The Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said recently that the first IS attack in Malaysia took place on June 28, when a militant on a motorcycle, threw a grenade at the Movida Bar, a nightspot in Puchong.

Related article: Movida attack proves IS militants’ ability to obtain explosives

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