Malaysian PM defends strict security laws to fight terrorism

Police said they had thwarted a potential suicide attack in Kuala Lumpur after they arrested a suspect at a train station in the Malaysian capital immediately following the Jakarta attack.

A video surfaced Sunday from a group professing allegiance with IS, warning that it would carry out attacks in Malaysia if police continued its crackdown on IS supporters.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country’s new anti-terrorism laws are a necessary weapon against what he said are “very real” threats by the Islamic State group. “This threat is very real and my government takes it very seriously”, Najib told a conference on extremism.

“If you catch us, we will only increase in number but if you let us be, we will be closer to our goal of bringing back the rule of the Khalifah (caliph)”, the group vowed in its message, adding, “Those who brand us as khawarij (dissenters), Daesh (another name for IS) and even as Mossad agents are in fact Syiah and its allies”.

Seven individuals, aged between 26 and 50, have been arrested by Royal Malaysia Police counter terrorism unit on suspicion of plotting a series of terrorism at several locations in the country. “We are far from immune to this danger in Malaysia”.

A suspect in Kedah is reportedly responsible in collecting intelligence and channeling fund to any Malaysians who are keen to join the militant group in Syria. The funds, Khalid said, were also to be used to finance terror operations in Malaysia.

Malaysia raised its security alert level following the January 14 attacks in neighboring Indonesia that left seven people dead. The ISIS militants claimed responsibility for the Jakarta massacre.

Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said via social networking site, police special branch has arrested the seven suspects since Friday in four states of the country.

The Star Online reported that it was believed Katibah had more than 200 Malaysian and Indonesian fighters who were highly sought after for “specialised missions”, including as snipers and suicide bombers.