KUALA LUMPUR: The two suspects who gunned down a Palestine private university lecturer in front of Idaman Puteri condominium in Setapak early morning today had waited for him for almost 20-minutes.
The gunmen had waited along the road on their superbike and fired at least 10 rounds on the 35-year old victim as he was walking towards a nearby surau for morning prayers.
City police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said closed-circuit television footage (CCTV) showed the victim - who was also the second imam of Surau Medan Idaman, had clearly been targetted by the assassins.
He said the CCTV footage showed the killers had arrived on a BMW GS dual purpose off-road/on-road motorcycle and wore full faced helmets.
“The CCTV footage showed two other residents walking pass the suspects before the victim appeared about 20-minutes later.
“One of the suspect opened fire from point blank range and killed him on the spot...he was shot on the body and head,” he said, adding police were trying to identify the registration number of the motorcycle used by the suspects.
Mazlan said the victim was supposed to lead the Subuh (morning) prayers at the surau when the incident happened about 6am.
Police have yet to ascertain the motive behind the shooting, with city police criminal investigation department chief (Senior Assistant Commissioner Rusdi Mohd Isa) being appointed as the lead investigator into the murder.
“We are investigating every angle, including the terrorism angle. However, initial investigations showed that the victim did not have any financial issues or known enemies.
“We will be recording statements from his family , friends and co-workers to get more information...it is too early to jump to conclusion that the case involved terrorism element,” he said.
The victim, who had been living in Malaysia for 10 years, leaves behind his wife and three children.
His body has been sent to the Selayang Hospital for a post-mortem while the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines and Maldives, Datuk Dr Anwar H. Al Agha said victim, Dr Fadi M R Albatsh, was a University of Malaya graduate and was supposed to leave for Turkey for a conference today.
“He was a kind, friendly and a quiet person, he mixed well with everyone.
“He has been living 10 years in the country and is working as electrical engineering lecturer at a private university,” he said.
A witness who only wished to be known as Wong he heard loud noise similar to firecrackers being let off about 6am.
“I did not expect it to be a murder case. It was dark outside,I heard the sound of motorcycle engine outside the school for at least 10 minutes followed by the loud noise.
“Luckily students who were supposed to attend extra classes in this school had yet to arrive,” the security guard of the school said.