Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects were arrested in raids conducted between Oct 30 and Nov 12 in Sabah and Putrajaya by the Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division.

Fuzi revealed that a 38-year old Malaysian was the first to be arrested in Putrajaya on Oct 30, adding that he was an agent selling gold bullion.

“The suspect was involved in channelling funds to Akel Zainal (a Malaysian who had joined the Islamic State terrorists in Syria) in 2017 to finance terrorist activities,” he said.

The second raid, on Nov 1 in Tenom, Sabah, resulted in the arrest of three Filipino suspects, aged 27, 34 and 51, who worked as labourers, he said.

“They are members of the Abu Sayyaf group involved in kidnapping for ransom in the southern Philippines and Sabah,” Fuzi said, adding that the 34-year-old suspect was capable of producing firearms for the group’s use.

On Nov 8, two more Filipinos, aged 35 and 46, were arrested in Ranau, Sabah, he said. One was a labourer and the other a technician.

“The 35-year-old suspect had recruited children into the Abu Sayyaf group and used them as human shields during the previous battles with the Philippine military in Basilan, southern Philippines.

“He was also involved in beheading captives of the group.

“The two were caught before their planned escape to the southern Philippines to evade arrest by the Malaysian authorities,” he said.

Fuzi said the fourth raid, on Nov 10 in Kinarut, Sabah, resulted in the arrest of a 30-year-old Filipino blacksmith, who is an Abu Sayyaf commander and right-hand man of Furuji Indama, a senior leader of the group.

The fifth and final operation saw a 60-year-old Filipino pasar malam (night market) trader in Tenom, Sabah, nabbed on Nov 12, he said.