The persistent threat of terrorism in Malaysia

Given that the threat of violent extremism in SE Asia has not abated, the Malaysian government & its security agencies cannot afford to leave gaps that may be exploited by opportunistic militant groups.?

In the peace-loving, moderate & progressive country of Muslim-dominated Malaysia, violence generally is alien to the culture.?Malaysia has confronted eminent forms of insurgency & terrorism threat since the 1940s, starting from the Malayan Communist Party until 1989 – a threat which persisted for about 4 decades.

There were other acts of terrorism including:-

• the IS-inspired 2016 Modiva Bar grenade attack.
• the July 2000 Al-Ma'unah arms heist at 2 military camps in Perak.
• the 1977 mysterious terrorist attack on Malaysian Flight 653 which crashed in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, killing all 100 passengers & crew on board.

In 2002 Malaysia arrested 6 members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group who were involved in the Bali bombing that killed 202 people. Malaysia has arrested 6 suspect terrorist of the Indonesian JI (Zakaria Bin Samad, Ahmad Bin Zakaria, Terhamid Bin Dahalan, Mahfudi Bin Saifuddin, Mulyadi & Ariffin).

In Sept 2003, 13 Malaysians were?arrested & found to be part of a Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda (AQ) cell called al-Ghuraba. This cell was first led by Indonesian jihadist Abu Bakar Bashir’s son, Abdul Rahim & later by Rusman Gunawan who was Hambali’s brother. (Hambali was an Indonesian national based in Malaysia who became AQ’s “point man” in SE Asia.)

The cell?functioned?to develop young JI members into trained operatives & future JI leaders. Most of them had been?student?of the Abu Bakar Islamic University in Karachi & other institutions, & had attended AQ camps in Afghanistan for training in weapons & explosives.

Between 2014 & 2019, there were a total of 23 reported plots in 6 states, with only one resulting in casualties.

Homegrown terrorist groups

One of the earliest grassroots extremist movements in the country can be traced back to Zainon Ismail, a veteran of the Soviet-Afghan war who founded Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM) in 1995 with the intention of replacing the government with a more Islamic one. However, counterterrorism action by countries in SE Asia after the 2002 Bali bombing led to the disintegration of KMM & JI’s degradation. Key members such as Yazid Sufaat, who was developing anthrax as a bioweapon for AQ were arrested & bombmaker Azahari Husin was killed.?

Al- Ma’unah was established in Perak & caused a threat to national security when the it espoused the mix of Islam & martial arts to overthrow the government & aimed to establish an Islamic regime. Twenty-nine of its members walked into 2 army camps in Banding & Grik in Perak & drove off with an arsenal of 119 high-caliber modern weapons on 2 July 2000. It was believed that this group had supporters & followers in Brunei & Singapore.

Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) has also sought to transform Malaysia into an Islamic State. Mohammed Iqbal bin Abdurrham was believed to have been the head of JI's Malaysia cell & one of AQ’s key trainers in SE Asia. Nasir Abas, a Malaysian national, helped establish the JI infrastructure in the southern Philippines.

KMM, JI & Darul Islam Sabah (DIS) have created their own “domestic” criminal capabilities. The series of bombings & terrorist attacks which the terrorists have been known to carry out in this region cannot be done without a sturdy source of funding. Either small or big scale terror activities depends on funding, because terrorist operators & suicide bombers also require money to survive. Proactive vigilance & law enforcement activities aimed at stopping funding for terrorist organizations have halted their movements. As a result, they have been forming partnerships with organized & underground crime groups to participate in human trafficking, piracy, kidnaping for ransom (KFR) & smuggling.

The insider threat

There have been reports of civil servants joining IS, indicating a possible misuse of power & government funds. This is one of the factors that may compromise border security in Malaysia & facilitate the movement of militants is corruption & radicalisation among border & security officials.

In 2015,?70 Malaysian army personnel?were discovered to have ties to IS. (Disclosed by Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri in Parliament.)

In 2016, 37 immigration officers were found guilty of interfering with the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs), which is linked to Interpol’s I-Checkit system which enabled authorities to verify within seconds if a passport had been reported lost or stolen.?The system was deliberately switched off in 2 major international airports in Kuala Lumpur allowing travellers to evade security & passport authenticity screenings, thus avoiding having their names checked against international terror databases.

In 2017, an immigration officer in Sabah was arrested for allegedly arranging for the travel of fighters into Sabah & onwards to Southern Philippines without valid travel documents.?

Such conspiracies undermine & compromise security measures to curb terror activities. Such ‘insider threats' exhibit the vulnerability of Malaysian border security.

Malaysia as transit point & safe haven for terrorists

Although terrorism is rare in Malaysia compared to Indonesia & the Philippines, it is a?well-known transit point & established safe haven?for terrorist groups. According to the US Department of State’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2020, the country remained a transit point & to a lesser extent, a destination country for members of terrorist groups. Malaysia’s friendly immigration policy has been identified as one of the factors for Malaysia to be known as a transit country for terrorist groups. In Dec 1995, AQ member Wali Khan Amin Shah, a close associate of Osama bin Laden, was?found?to be hiding in the country & arrested in Langkawi.

The allure of having more foreign tourists & students - who bring not only money, but also help to improve university rankings - is strong enough to ensure that Malaysia remains welcoming towards visitors, including those from some of the more troubled parts of the world. Terrorists from West Asia & other countries including from Europe also transit in Malaysia & may go to South Korea or other countries because of its friendly immigration policy where visitors from most International Islamic Organization countries do not require visas.

Growing Islamic fundamentalism

Malaysia has been experiencing growing Islamic fundamentalism the past few decades, with ultra-conservative movements pushing towards a harsher, more rigid model of Islam. There is a stronger likelihood that extremists will adopt a mainstream political mechanism with which to introduce the Afghan Taliban’s model of harshly interpreted shariah, much like JI’s approach in Indonesia, rather than a violent movement that could risk repelling popular support.?

Malaysia's counter terrorism efforts

Malaysia has an excellent counterterrorism (CT) record. In past decades, domestic terror groups such as KMM, regional groups such as JI & transnational groups such as AQ have all been thwarted at one time or other by the Malaysian authorities. In the 2000s, neighboring Indonesia was shaken by a wave of deadly attacks – most notoriously the Oct 2002 Bali nightclub bombings which killed 202 people. Despite the rise of IS & the deterioration of the security situation in neighboring countries, Malaysia continued to enhance its record CT success & a major Islamist attack within its borders was prevented. Malaysia thus escaped the decade of elevated risk following 9/11 relatively unscathed, without suffering a major attack.

The Royal Malaysian Police Force's (PDRM) Special Branch Counterterrorism Unit (E8) has the lead CT law enforcement role.?This highly efficient & effective unit identifies terrorist threats & makes the arrests.

At the very forefront in the country's battle against terrorism are specialized military, law enforcement & the civil defense units such as the 11th Uniform Squadron Regimen Gerak Khas, Alpha Platoon of PASKAL, Flight Hostage Rescue Team PASKAU, Counter-Revolutionary Warfare 69th Commando Batallion of Pasukan Gerak Khas (PGK), Special Actions Unit of PGK, UNGERIN, Trup Tindakan Khas & Special Task & Rescue.

The Unit Tindak Khas?(Special Actions Unit) or UTK, is a special forces unit of PDRM. It was founded on 1 Jan 1975 by then IGP,?Tun Hanif Omar & is the oldest & most experienced CT unit in Malaysia.?UTK were trained by the 22nd SAS for urban warfare & performs as a high-level national?police tactical unit providing 24 hours close protection to high ranking government executives & their spouses. The unit's members also undertake undercover missions & have the capabilities to perform underwater & airborne missions as well as jungle operations. UTK is now officially known as?Pasukan Gerakan Khas?Detachment A?& VAT 69 has been deputised to?Pasukan Gerakan Khas?Detachment B.

Malaysia was a significant source of foreign fighters in Iraq & Syria, relative to the size of its population, producing 6 times the proportion of the number coming from Indonesia. Many Malaysians joined factions such as Ajnad al-Sham & Jabhat al-Nusra.

Malaysia is seen to be susceptible to future attacks because of the growing number of Malaysians being associated to terrorist activities within Malaysia & abroad.

Malaysians in the Islamic State

At the peak of the IS led government in Iraq & Syria, more than 100 Malaysian jihadists participated in the so-called “holy war” to establish a true Islamic Caliphate. Most of them like Abu Wandy, Mohd Nizam, Akel Zainal, Abdul Khalid & Mohd Amirul were between the ages of 20-40 years old. There were also a few senior jihadists such as Rafi Udin & Ustaz Lotfi.?

PDRM recorded that at least 90 Malaysian jihadists were involved in the IS movement between 2013 till 2019. The demise of IS left Malaysian jihadists uncertain about their future. Most of them were relocated to different regions within Iraq & Syria. A small number of Malaysian women were brought to the home countries of their husbands, such as Britain, France & the US.

Most of the Malaysian jihadists were involved in a series of attacks in Iraq & Syria, including suicide bombings. A total of 24 among them were killed including Hassan Zakaria, Abu Salim & Izzul Iman.

In May 2014, Malaysian suicide bomber, Ahmad Tarmimi Maliki, was responsible for the explosions that killed 25 Iraqi soldiers at the SWAT headquarters. In Nov 2014, another Malaysian, Ahmad Affendi Abdul Manaff, was reported to have driven a VBIED into a Syrian military base, killing 50 military personnel of the Assad regime. In Nov 2016, Hassan Zakaria drove a VBIED into a group of Kurdistan Workers’ Party soldiers in the southwest town of Ain Issa.?A 38-second video of the suicide bombing attack that killed 14 Kurdish fighters & injured scores more went viral on an IS propaganda channel, Dabiq & Al-Syura.

The leader of Katibah Nusantara Malaysia Chapter, Muhammad Wanndy, (aka Abu Hamzah Al-Fateh), was killed in Syria in a drone strike in 29 April 2017. He was believed to be the mastermind of several attacks in the region including the Movida Bar, in Puchong, Selangor in Sept 2016.

Many more were killed in “jihad operations” either by airstrikes, drone attacks or clashes with SDF, SCM or US & coalition forces.

Although Malaysia was not a target for these suicide bombers, the capabilities of these men demonstrate the possibility of such an occurrence in Malaysia. It should also be noted that deceased Malaysians Azahari Husin &?Noordin Mohammed Top were expert bomb makers who were responsible for many bombings in Indonesia. There is certainly no shortage of committed terrorists or skilled talent for terror groups in Malaysia.

Terrorism remains a clear & present danger

Since February 2013, PDRM has arrested a total of 488 militants & E8 has thwarted 25 terror plots in Malaysia.

In May 2014 it was reported that E8 had been tracking 6 Al-Shabaab members who entered the country by pretending to be private college students & tourists. This terrorist group which is linked to AQ had planned to set up a base in Malaysia for terrorists hiding from the authorities.

In 2014, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) captured a Hamas cell commander in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza during Operation Protective Edge. Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) investigations revealed that Hamas terrorists received training in Malaysia & Gaza to infiltrate Israel by air to kidnap & murder Israelis. In 2010, the captured Hamas cell commander was enlisted into a special force sent to Malaysia for paragliding training, in preparation for a cross-border kidnapping attack?on Israel. The captured Hamas cell commander & 10 other terrorists from across Gaza spent a week receiving training in Malaysia.

In March 2017, PDRM suspected that 234 Malaysians were involved in IS. PDRM also identified that 95 Malaysians had joined the terrorist group in Syria; 30 were dead or killed; meanwhile, 8 of them returned to Malaysia & detained upon arrival.

In May 2018, a 51-year old woman was detained for attempting to blow up a voting centre in Puchong with a vehicle containing a IED (VBIED). She was also suspected of planning to employ vehicle bomb attacks on places of worship of other religions in Malaysia. Investigations revealed that she had long-distance communications with 600 people, including IS members in Europe, via Facebook & WhatsApp. She had managed to gather information to launch a violent attack without being detected by the country’s authorities.

In March 2019, PDRM reported the arrests of 9 suspects, including 6 Egyptians & 2 Tunisians, for suspicion of plans to launch large scale attacks in several countries.?E8 made the arrests after receiving a tip from intelligence agencies about the presence of suspected terrorist fighters in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor & Sarawak.?From July to September, law enforcement reported the arrest of 16 suspects nationwide, which included 12 Indonesians, 3 Malaysians & an Indian.?The suspects were accused of attempting to establish an ISIS cell in Malaysia & planned attacks in Malaysia & Indonesia.?

The Egyptians were members of Al Ikhwanul Muslimin who functioned as facilitators to secure lodging, logistics & jobs, including buying air tickets for members. 2 of the Egyptians were students from institutions of higher education in Malaysia & the others were religious & Arabic teachers. The Egyptian man arrested in Serian, Sarawak, posed as a restaurateur & had married a local widow.

Malaysian authorities also arrested 12 Filipinos believed to be members of ASG, Maute Group & Royal Sulu Force (RSF), as well as a Malaysian in Sabah. 4 of the suspects were from Maute Group & were involved in the 2017 attack & occupation of Marawi by the ASG. 2 of those detained were members of the RSF who were responsible for the 2013 attacks in Sabah’s Lahad Datu & Semporna. The others were found to be affiliated with ARSA, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) & the Muslim Brotherhood Al Ikhwanul Muslimin.

In May 2019, Malaysia's Cawangan Khas (Special Branch) announced that they had foiled a wave of large-scale terror attacks & assassinations plotted by an IS-linked cell during the first week of Ramadan.?4 suspects were arrested during a sting operation on suspicion of planning attacks against religious sites & entertainment venues, the leader of which was charged with terrorism-related offenses.

In another 2019 incident, a 20-year-old Rohingya with a UN refugee card working in Peninsular Malaysia as a waiter was arrested. He admitted that he supported the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) & planned to attack the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

In 2021, Bukit Aman Special Branch (E8) Assistant Director SAC Azman Omar, revealed on an online forum that despite the police making only 7 arrests related to terror activities in 2020, extremism remained a real threat in the country. On 6 Jan 6 2020, the police arrested Wan Amirul Azlan bin Jalaluddin & 5 others for their involvement in making IS propaganda videos & death threats against the country’s leaders. The man was suspected to be leader of the group, Anshorullah At-Tauhid,?admitted to planning a lone wolf attack on the Prime Minister - Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Finance Minister - Lim Guan Eng, Religious Affairs Minister - Mujahid Yusof Rawa & Attorney General - Tommy Thomas, as a show of support for IS.

SAC Azman also reported that in Aug 2020, E8 also arrested a Malaysian man working in Singapore with the help of Singapore authorities. The man was involved in the funding of militant activities & was planning on going to Syria to join IS.

Domestic, regional & international conditions appear to have heightened the challenge of terrorism in Malaysia.

In May 2021, 5 members of ASG were gunned down?by police in Sabah. This incident came after 2 terror incidents in Indonesia - the March 2021 suicide bombing at a Catholic cathedral in Makassar as well as a?shootout?at police headquarters in Jakarta.?Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said although authorities believed they had successfully crippled an ASG cell with links to IS, the group was believed to have more insiders, moles, sympathisers & members in Sabah, some of whom were still masquerading as religious leaders & recruiting people.

The Daily Express, a local newspaper in Sabah also quoted Commissioner Hazani as saying that JI members were also active in the state, recruiting & raising funds for the group. He said that Sabah could see attacks similar to the Bali bombings of 2002 & the attack on the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta a year later, if law enforcement did not monitor & halt JI activities.

A Daily Express’ investigation discovered that some of the ASG members had been in Sabah for more than a decade, mingling with people doing odd jobs as cobblers, carpenters & labourers at construction sites.?Dr. Ramli Dollah, a security expert at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said several factors would influence a terror cell’s success, such as the state economy’s overdependence on foreign workers from neighbouring countries.?

It is envisaged that Sabah will remain under threat until the situation in the southern Philippines is resolved. Geographical factors such as long coastlines, numerous islands, a vast area of mangroves & close proximity will facilitate this route & make Sabah’s border too porous.

The transnational nature of terrorism means that developments further afield, such as those in the Middle East & Afghanistan can reverberate much closer to Malaysia. In Singapore's Terrorism Threat Assessment Report 2021, it was reported that in 2019 & 2020, there were 3 foiled plots by pro-IS transnational wolf packs targeting Malaysian government officials, non-Muslims, places of worship, etc.

Returning fighters & their families to Malaysia

Of the Malaysian foreign terrorist fighters (FTF) who managed to survive, some have already been granted permission to return home while a handful of others remain stranded. The fates of still others are unknown. The Malaysian authorities crafted a scheme that combines the application of justice under the law in the form of prison sentences for engagement in terrorist activities with a multifaceted program to assist returnees in their reintegration into society.

However, fighting an ideology is often more challenging because it is very difficult to completely reform a terrorist who has subscribed to a false ideology. Security & intelligence agencies must therefore exercise extreme caution when engaging terrorists, supporters, or sympathisers of any terrorist organisation.

Terrorism as a threat is persistent, unpredictable & evolving

The face of terrorism is always evolving, with their methods & mode of attacks getting more unpredictable. Terrorists will always find a small window to launch their fatal attacks like in Nice, Paris, Brussels & London. They are also using females & young people to launch attacks, thus, evading detection by intelligence agencies

Even though the measures & strategies put in place by Malaysian security & law enforcement agencies are working, they cannot be overconfident.?

Furthermore, as technology has advanced so has its use by terrorist groups. This includes missiles & drones, which extend the reach of their attacks & reduce their casualties. Small weaponized Ukrainian-made drones have appeared on the battlefield in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, but repurposed commercial off-the-shelf drones will play an increasing role. In 2016, IS forces were photographed using apparent PG-7 style rounds on commercial drones.

A quick search of?YouTube?revealed videos from Ukrainian forces clearly intended to demonstrate their own drone capabilities. Soon, the inventions, techniques & tactics for asymmetrical warfare developed by Ukrainians to defend their country from Russian terror will be used by terrorist networks which are constantly learning. These new battlefield inventions will invariably fall into terrorist hands. Affordable smartphones, social media & encryption are technologies that extend their networks, making the spread of propaganda & recruitment much easier.

It is therefore imperative for the country to find ways to better prepare itself in battling terrorism. If left unattended, the repercussions would be damaging to the economy as well as to the racial harmony that Malaysia has been upholding for many years & the wellbeing of all Malaysians.

-----------------------------

Endro Sunarso is an expert in Security Management, Physical Security & Counter Terrorism. He is regularly consulted on matters pertaining to transportation security, off-shore security, critical infrastructure protection, security & threat assessments, & blast mitigation.

Besides being a Certified Protection Professional (CPP?), a Certified Identity & Access Manager (CIAM?), a Project Management Professional (PMP?) & a Certified Scrum Master (CSM?), Endro is also a Fellow of the Security Institute (FSyl) & the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (F.ISRM).

Endro has spent about 2 decades in Corporate Security (executive protection, crisis management, critical infrastructure protection, governance, business continuity, loss mitigation, due diligence, counter corporate espionage, etc). He also has more than a decade of experience in Security & Blast Consultancy work, initially in the Gulf Region & later in South East Asia.