Malaysia ISA jails Singapore radical Mas Selamat
Reuters - Thursday, May 28
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 - Malaysia's government has imprisoned the suspected leader of a Singapore radical Islamist group linked to the 2002 Bali bombings, the country's prime minister said on Wednesday.
Mas Selamat Kastari, who shot to fame when he escaped from a Singapore prison in February 2008, was caught in the southern Malaysian state of Johor on April 1.
Earlier state news agency Bernama said, citing unnamed sources, that he had been imprisoned for two years under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows imprisonment without trial.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, asked whether Mas Selamat would be extradited to Singapore, said that "for the time being he will be detained in Malaysia".
"He's a threat to national security, that's why he's under arrest," Najib told reporters when asked about the arrest.
Earlier, Bernama said that while in prison he would undergo a "rehabilitation programme which will include debating with religious experts on Islam", citing a government source.
At the time of his arrest, Malaysian officials said that Mas Selamat was "planning something" which allowed him to be arrested.
Singapore officials described Mas Selamat as a leader of the Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiah , a pan-Asian radical Islamic group linked to al Qaeda and responsible for several attacks across Southeast Asia.
He was also the alleged mastermind of a plot to hijack a plane and crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport and had planned truck bomb attacks at several sites across the island state.
Bernama said he sawm across the strait separating Singapore an Malaysia in the dead of the night, after hiding out for four days in the city state following his jail escape.
Reuters - Thursday, May 28
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 - Malaysia's government has imprisoned the suspected leader of a Singapore radical Islamist group linked to the 2002 Bali bombings, the country's prime minister said on Wednesday.
Mas Selamat Kastari, who shot to fame when he escaped from a Singapore prison in February 2008, was caught in the southern Malaysian state of Johor on April 1.
Earlier state news agency Bernama said, citing unnamed sources, that he had been imprisoned for two years under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows imprisonment without trial.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, asked whether Mas Selamat would be extradited to Singapore, said that "for the time being he will be detained in Malaysia".
"He's a threat to national security, that's why he's under arrest," Najib told reporters when asked about the arrest.
Earlier, Bernama said that while in prison he would undergo a "rehabilitation programme which will include debating with religious experts on Islam", citing a government source.
At the time of his arrest, Malaysian officials said that Mas Selamat was "planning something" which allowed him to be arrested.
Singapore officials described Mas Selamat as a leader of the Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiah , a pan-Asian radical Islamic group linked to al Qaeda and responsible for several attacks across Southeast Asia.
He was also the alleged mastermind of a plot to hijack a plane and crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport and had planned truck bomb attacks at several sites across the island state.
Bernama said he sawm across the strait separating Singapore an Malaysia in the dead of the night, after hiding out for four days in the city state following his jail escape.
