JOHOR BARU: The suspect who stormed a police station in Ulu Tiram here early this morning, killing two policemen and injuring another, is believed to have links to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said five members of the suspect's family have been arrested and JI material was found at the suspect's home.
JI is a militant Islamist group founded in 1993 by Indonesians Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar.
The group has historical ties to al-Qaeda and has been involved in various high-profile terrorist attacks, most notably the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people.
Abu Bakar, was jailed in Indonesia in 2011 after his arrest in 2010, but freed in January 2021 after serving 11 years of his 15-year sentence.
In Malaysia, JI's presence has been significant, particularly as it served as a safe haven and operational base for its leaders during the 1980s and 1990s.
Inspector-General of Police, at that time, Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said Abu Bakar Bashir will be closely monitored by Bukit Aman's Counter Terrorism Division if he is released by the Indonesian government, as this is necessary as Malaysia was faced with on-going threats from JI activities.
The other founder, Abdullah Sungkar, meanwhile died in October, 1999.In the early 2000s, Malaysian authorities arrested several senior JI members, disrupting their networks.
Despite these efforts, JI continues to pose a threat, maintaining its ideological influence and capacity for recruitment and indoctrination through various Islamic schools and personal networks.
The organisation's key members include:
Hambali (Riduan Isamuddin): Hambali is a senior leader of JI. Before his capture in Thailand, he used Malaysia as a base for coordinating JI operations and was involved in planning several attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings.
Noordin Mohammad Top: A Malaysian citizen, Noordin was a key recruiter and strategist for JI. He was involved in several bombings in Indonesia, including the 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta. Noordin used Malaysia as a safe haven and a place to plan attacks.
Azahari Husin: Another prominent Malaysian member of JI, Azahari was an expert bomb-maker and played a crucial role in the Bali bombings and other attacks in Indonesia. He, like Noordin, utilized Malaysia for operational purposes.
Zulkifli bin Hir (Marwan): A Malaysian militant affiliated with JI, Marwan was involved in terrorism activities in the Philippines. He was linked to several bombings and was on the FBI's most-wanted list before being killed in a raid in the Philippines in 2015.
Mas Selamat Kastari: Originally from Singapore, Mas Selamat was associated with JI and used Malaysia as a hiding place after escaping from detention in Singapore in 2008. He was eventually captured in Malaysia in 2009.
Yazid Sufaat: A Malaysian microbiologist and former army captain, Yazid was linked to JI and al-Qaeda. He provided logistical support to militants and was involved in anthrax research for al-Qaeda. Yazid was detained several times by Malaysian authorities under the Internal Security Act.