Quoting an intelligence source, the daily said IS chiefs are losing faith in Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi’s ability to extend the terror network’s reach to Malaysia via recruitment and attacks.
“He has failed to carry out attacks in Malaysia as planned. This has infuriated its (IS) Syrian and Iraqi leaders,” the unnamed source was quoted as saying.
With his days numbered, Wanndy is said to be getting more desperate to prove his influence over IS sympathisers and activists in Malaysia by organising terror attacks on certain targets in the country.
“Wanndy has to convince his Syrian leaders of his ability to conduct terror attacks.
“He has been given until the end of the year, or risks having his stature as the IS’ Malaysian leader stripped,” the source told The Star.
As part of his efforts to expand his influence in Malaysia, Wanndy is also believed to have asked for more help on the social media front of the IS operations, in order to hack into accounts while staying below the radar.
It was said to be part of his promise to “wreak havoc in Malaysia in several months’ time”, the source was quoted as saying.
According to The Star, Wanndy hopes to target individuals with a tendency to make racist remarks or criticise leaders in Facebook posts.
“Malaysian police know that Wanndy has also set up over 100 WhatsApp groups whose members include students throughout the country.
“The WhatsApp groups are managed by Syrian hackers,” the source was quoted as saying by The Star.
One tactic used by Wanndy to attract Malaysian youths is the promise of monthly salaries if they were to join the terror network in Syria.
“About 80% of those he has managed to influence were found to be addicts and introverts,” the source was quoted as saying.
However, Wanndy also faces the challenge of keeping the Malaysians he has already lured to Syria to stay on.
“They have lost faith and have rejected cash offers from him to stay,” the source told The Star, referring to 57 Malaysians who are planning to return home.
The 27-year-old Wanndy hails from Durian Tunggal in Malacca. Police earlier revealed he left for Syria with his wife in January last year. He is believed to be based in Raqqa, which is the heart of IS operations in Syria.
Last July, police named him as the brains behind the Movida bar attack in Puchong on June 28, which injured eight people.
The attack, police said, was the terrorist’s personal way of avenging his elder brother, Mohamed Danny, who was charged in a Malacca court in June last year for channelling funds to the militant group.
However, Wanndy was later quoted by Astro Awani as saying he did not issue instructions to the duo arrested in connection with the Movida attack, which police said was the first by IS in Malaysia.