Two Islamic State (IS) shocks for Malaysia in 24 hours
Malaysia suffered two Islamic State (IS) or ISIS “shocks” in 24 hours.
The first shock was when the Prime Minister said on his FaceBook yesterday that he is “shocked and appalled to hear that two Malaysians were reported to have been involved in suicide bombings by the Islamic State (Isis) militant group in Iraq and Syria, resulting in the loss of more than 30 innocent lives”.
Najib added: “Their actions and ideology have no place in Malaysia or Islam, and the Government is absolutely committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and guises, both at home and overseas.
“We will spare no effort to find out how and why these young men were able to commit these atrocious acts, and will take all measures necessary to prevent others from doing so in the future.”
New Straits times (NST), in an “exclusive” report yesterday entitled “Malaysian suicide bombers kill 33” and sub-titled “’Martyred’: One blew himself up on Dec. 29, and the other on Jan 3” also revealed that a brother of one of the two suicide bombers died in a suicide mission on Sept. 18 last year in Bayji, in northern Iraq, during a skirmish with Iraq forces.
NST reported that the latest two suicide bombers brings the total number of Malaysians with IS (Islamic State) links killed to 17 – six who had served as suicide bombers while the rest died during battles.
What is shocking is that the Prime Minister seemed to be informed of these two suicide bombings by Malaysians for the first time from the NST report, although they occurred respectively on Dec. 29 and Jan. 3 – from one to two weeks ago.
Najib has said that Malaysia stands firmly together with the international community against the terror organisation ISIS as it does not do justice to Islam, but it does not appear that Najib had taken the ISIS problem seriously enough as to ensure that he is constantly updated so that he is briefed about the two latest cases of Malaysian suicide bombings by his own security officials.
But the second IS shock came within 24 hours this morning, when the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that the police are still waiting for official confirmation that the two suicide bombers who killed 30 people in separate attacks in Iraq and Syria were really Malaysian citizens.
The Prime Minister has expressed his shock about the death of the two suicide bombs from Malaysia in the past fortnight, but the Inspector-General of Police said that the police are still not sure whether they are Malaysians or were foreigners using Malaysian identities.
What really is going on? Such contradictions cannot give the Malaysian government a good image as to its efficiency, competence and professionalism.
Are the Prime Minister and the government serious about the ISIS threat and challenge, especially with the latest revelation from the Bukit Aman Special Branch director Mohamad Fuzi Harun that Malaysian children are being groomed as IS fighters, with initial probe that eight children are being trained at ISIS camps and Iraq.
A Minister recently said that police intelligence estimates that ISIS has some 50,000 supporters in Malaysia.
To date, some 200 Malaysians are believed to have joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and more than 120 individuals have been arrested either trying to join ISIS or returning from fighting with them.
Is the government on top of the ISIS problem? How could two ISIS “shocks” happen within 24 hours, with the Prime Minister expressing shock over the two Malaysian suicide bombers in the past fortnight which is contradicted by the Inspector-General of Police who said that these were unconfirmed and unverified reports?