Timely to establish special detention centre housing terrorist operatives

KUALA LUMPUR: The set-up of the new special detention centre housing terrorist operatives is timely to address the growing numbers of radicalisation in the country.

Counterterrorism expert Andrin Raj said the centre, used for de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programs, is needed to separate the militants from other prisoners.

"Prisons have long become a recruitment source for jihadist and it's the most easiest place to radicalise and recruit," he told the New Straits Times.

However, Andrin said he was also concerned about the wardens looking after the militants as they are exposed to the slick militants who will try to spread their ideology to the wardens.

The concern rang true when recently seven wardens from various prisons nationwide were arrested for embracing militancy ideology.

"The local authorities should vet new recruits of wardens working in this new detention centre ... some of the jihadists are able to influence the wardens into their ideology if the wardens are found to be vulnerable as having a low self-esteem personality and lack religious knowledge."

He added that the authorities need to have a mechanism and standard operations procedure to make sure that any of these threats are not within the availability of any perpetrator.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the authorities are also monitoring prisoners and wardens for terrorism elements through consultation processes and cell isolation.

The announcement follows the discovery that two former prisoners of Tapah prison had been active in recruiting members to terror groups while serving time under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

He added that the matter was resolved by separating the prisoners involved in such activities to different cells, so that de-radicalisation process could take place and prevent them from influencing other prisoners or prison officers.

Zahid also revealed that seven wardens from various prisons nationwide were also identified as being involved in terror recruitment activities and are currently undergoing rehabilitation under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota).

On Friday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said eight men were arrested in Selangor, Sabah and Perak between Sept 27 and Oct 6 for alleged involvement in terror activities, including recruiting prisoners in the Tapah Prison to join a terrorist group and planned to launch attacks on Muslim, Christian and Hindu houses of worship to spark inter-religious conflicts in the country.