KUALA LUMPUR: Police are on high alert following reports that two Turks of Uighur descent, suspected of plotting terrorist attacks in Thailand, have reportedly left the kingdom for Malaysia.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police have beefed up security heavily at entry points in the country following the report.
“We have alerted our officers at entry points and are closely monitoring it,” he said when contacted today.
It was reported yesterday that Surat Thani Governor, Wongsiri Promchana said he was informed of the two men’s recent departure for neighbouring Malaysia by Phuket’s Immigration Office.
However, Wongsiri did not reveal the exact date the two Uighurs left Thailand for Malaysia and whether they used the land or air route to reach the neighbouring country.
Meanwhile, a Thailand newspaper, ‘Khaosod’, leaked an intelligence memorandum from Wongsiri which claimed that the two Uighurs and two Russians of Chechen descent were plotting a terror attack in the Kingdom.
The governor’s leaked memorandum identified the two Uighurs as ‘Ali Yalcin Egin’ and ‘Hidayat Dorsun’ who arrived in Phuket from an identified location on March 23.
The duo “may stage attacks on Chinese targets and interests in Southeast Asia,” said the leaked memo, while the two unidentified Chechens planned to attack Russian interests in Thailand.