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| Southeast Asia |
| Mas Selamat posed a threat |
| 2009-06-26 |
| [Straits Times] THE Malaysian government did not extradite terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari to Singapore because he posed a threat to Malaysia and its neighbours and also put the people's safety at risk, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said today. The head of the Singapore cell of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in February last year. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin said Mas Selamat was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) as he was a threat to the country, as well as its neighbours Singapore and Indonesia. 'We know his background, the details of his plan, network and contact with militant groups,' he told Parliament. 'From the information that we have gathered, it was a serious plan.' He said detention under the ISA would ensure the terrorist's activities and contacts with other militant groups in Asia could be contained. Prime Minister Najib Razak said last month that Mas Selamat would be detained for two years. Mr Hishammuddin told reporters: 'We did not extradite Mas Selamat as we are concerned it will undermine the country's peace and put the people's safety at risk.' He added that only 12 ISA detainees remained in custody, six of them Malaysians. |
| Posted by:Fred |