The Malaysian authorities have provided the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur with the names of two Bangladeshis who were arrested by the police of that country for their alleged link with Islamic State (IS) militants, High Commissioner to Malaysia Shahidul Islam told The Independent yesterday. “Yes, the Malaysians sent the two names to the High Commission this afternoon Tuesday). Since, I am in a meeting outside the mission, I cannot tell the names,” he told this correspondent over telephone. According to diplomatic sources, in this type of case, usually names are sent to Dhaka for ascertaining their citizenship and the local mission seeks consular access to the accused for verification.
The same process will be followed this time, they said, adding that Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur enjoy ‘very good cooperation’ in counterterrorism.
Malaysian Special Branch's Counter-Terrorism Division arrested four people, including the two Bangladeshis, in separate raids between January 13 and 19 in Kuala Lumpur and Sabah, reported Malaysian media on Monday.
The suspects also included a 31-year-old Filipino man and a 27-year-old Malaysian woman.
The Bangladeshis, aged 27 and 28, worked as salesmen, and were arrested last Thursday in Kuala Lumpur. They were suspected of having ties with IS militants in Bangladesh and planning to join Dr Mahmud's terror cell, said the report.
Dr Mahmud was a former lecturer at University Malaya who had joined IS militants based in the southern Philippines, added the report.