Asia Times: Malaysia tightens security screws


	April 20, 2002	atimes.com

Southeast Asia

Malaysia tightens security screws
By Anil Netto

PENANG, Malaysia - Just about a month before Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is due to visit the United States at the invitation of President George W Bush, 14 more alleged Muslim extremists have been detained under Malaysia's harsh Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows indefinite detention without trial.

The 14 are said to be linked to a group initially referred to by the authorities as the Malaysian Mujahideen Group and later as the Malaysian Militant Group (KMM). The group, the authorities say, is part of a regional network aimed at overthrowing Southeast Asian governments and replace them with Islamic states.

The latest arrests on Wednesday and Thursday bring to 62 the number of people detained for alleged involvement in the KMM since last May. None of them has been brought to trial.

The foreign media latched on to these latest arrests as a further sign of the Malaysian government's determination to rein in militants. A CNN website report on the latest arrests was headlined "Malaysian police arrest al-Qaeda-linked suspects".

A front-page report in Malaysia's top-selling English-language daily, The Star, however quoted police chief Norian Mai as saying, "We do not have any proof that these people are linked directly to al-Qaeda leaders. The only one we know who is linked is Hambali." Norian said the KMM allegedly took orders from Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (now in Indonesia) and Hambali.

The latest arrests are a severe blow to human-rights campaigners who are in the midst of a hunger strike in protest against the draconian ISA. The protest was launched on April 10 by the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI), a network of 82 non-governmental organizations, to mark the first anniversary of the detentions of 10 pro-reform activists. Six of these detainees are still being held at the Kamunting Detention Camp north of Kuala Lumpur.

The latest round of arrests also shows the inability of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to tackle the ISA, although its government-appointed commissioners have gone on record to say they are opposed to detention without trial. The two-year terms of the inaugural commissioners expire this month and three of the more courageous commissioners are likely to be dropped.

But Suhakam announced this week that it will hold an inquiry soon to probe the grievances of ISA detainees and their families. Since Suhakam was formed, the number of ISA detainees has climbed steadily, especially since last April. More than 100 persons are now being held without trial under the ISA.

The latest arrests are likely to please Washington, which has made a stunning turnaround from its earlier position of condemning ISA arrests on human-rights grounds. Some would call it "Democracy When It Suits" (the title of a Radio Netherlands report on the failed coup attempt in Venezuela and Washington's eagerness to proclaim an end to the reign of the democratically elected president). Others would lament that human rights have taken a back seat in the war on terror. So even as the number of those detained without trial climbs, Mahathir is now perceived as a "moderate" Islamic leader whom Washington can talk to.

Among the 14 in the latest round of arrests is Sejahratul Dursina, the wife of Yazid Sufaat, the man who is alleged to have met two of the terrorists said to be involved in the September 11 attacks. She is the first woman to be detained since last April.

Foreign journalists, often citing "Malaysian officials", have reported that two al-Qaeda members who were at Yazid's house were later among the hijackers in the September 11 attacks.

A report in the independent news website Malaysiakini said that Yazid had explained to an ISA review panel this month that he gave permission to Persatuan Al-Ehsan, a registered Islamic organization of which he was a member, to use his condominium for its activities.

"I do not know anything about the allegation that al-Qaeda members were staying in my condominium, and I demand proof from the police," he said in his affidavit made available to Malaysiakini. "I did bump into two Arabs, whose legs were amputated, at the condominium's swimming pool when I took my children there. The Arabs told me they came here to look for artificial legs. The conversation lasted for less than five minutes. I left and never saw them again," he added.

Yazid lashed out at the "media frenzy", particularly in the foreign press, which kept quoting "Malaysian officials" to associate him with the al-Qaeda and September 11. "The government should investigate who these 'officials' are, as they have tarnished the good name of the country," he said.

The 14 detained in the latest round of arrests have assorted backgrounds: company directors (two), technicians (two), taxi drivers (three), an accounts assistant, a waterworks meter reader, a businessman, a teacher, a chicken seller, an ice-cream vendor and a welder.

Norian said one of the suspects had a diary with him that had details on making explosives, several plans of action and guerrilla warfare tactics. He said the authorities had also identified more than 100 alleged KMM members who were still at large. Three university lecturers high on the wanted list had fled, he added.

On the arrest of Yazid's wife, Norian said she had been detained for allegedly hiring Zacarias Moussaoui, the Frenchman linked to al-Qaeda. Moussaoui was arrested by US agents and is now on trial there.

Rights activists, meanwhile, continue to urge the government to bring all the suspects to court so that they can have a chance to defend themselves and engage lawyers of their choice.

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