Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said those detained were suspected of being members of various terrorist groups around the world.
He said the proactive move was taken based on intelligence that Islamic State (IS) elements from various countries, who previously operated in Iraq and Syria, had left these countries after their group lost a major portion of the areas they controlled previously.
He said all of them had been directed to infiltrate various countries to launch attacks on behalf of the IS.
“The intelligence obtained confirmed there were foreign terrorist groups merging with the IS groups, whether in Southeast Asia or at the global level, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Jamaatul Mujahideen who directed their members to infiltrate Malaysia and launch attacks in the country,” he said in a statement here today.
“Out of the 45 FTFs detained, nine are suspected of involvement with the ASG terrorist group, while three are suspected to be involved with the Fetullah Turkey terrorist group (listed as terrorists) by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Another individual is suspected of involvement with the Albanian terrorist group linked to the IS while yet another is suspected of involvement with the Jamaatul Mujahidden Bangladesh terrorist group,” he said.
Fuzi said the remaining 31 individuals were FTF from various nationalities suspected of involvement with the IS group, including three FTF who were Iraqi nationals and IS commanders in southern Iraq.
“Twelve suspects have been deported to their countries of origin for follow-up action by the relevant authorities, while one suspect was slapped with a detention order under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) 2015,” he added.
Fuzi said seven individuals had been released while another 12 suspects were still under police investigation.
“ASG terrorists who entered Malaysia are suspected of planning to launch attacks in this country while other FTF elements have infiltrated into the country to seek protection, collect funds, launch attacks in this country or to turn Malaysia as an operational base for them to launch attacks on third countries,” he said.
He said the success of the PDRM to prevent this was the result of close cooperation with intelligence agencies and foreign enforcement agencies in terms of exchanging intelligence information.
Fuzi said the PDRM would continue to monitor and take preventive action on the presence of foreign terrorist elements to ensure that any attempt to launch attacks in Malaysia by the FTF could be repulsed.
“Efforts to tackle the threats posed by FTF terrorist elements are not simple as there is a need for cooperation between the PDRM and foreign enforcement and intelligence agencies.
“If these threats are not tackled effectively, they can jeopardise security and public order in Malaysia,” he added.