I refer to your front-page report “Hunters hunted” (NST, July 3). Kudos to the Malaysian police counter-terrorism unit for seeking out the five individuals for suspected militant activities in the country, including providing training to youths to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Isil) in the on-going Syrian civil war.
What is shocking is that one of the suspects is a senior professor at Universiti Malaya by the name of Dr Mahmud Ahmad, a leading figure in the new terror cell which cannot be taken lightly by the security authorities.
The irony is that our universities have become a target for recruits and our most trusted intellectuals have become traitors to the nation.
University facilities have been used to hold ceramah to spread militant ideology and activities.
Recently, the police arrested three Malaysians in Sandakan, including a Royal Malaysian Navy personnel suspected of engaging in militant activities.
The group was planning suicide bombings and attack missions in Syria and Iraq.
Police intelligence had been monitoring their movements and the arrest of three members of the militant group under the Security Offences Act (Sosma) brings a total of 15 militants nabbed so far.
The group was believed to have links to terrorists abroad and “responsible for planning terror acts outside the country”.
This does more damage to our image internationally.
Security authorities must be on their toes to foil militant groups trying to establish cells with links overseas for their intended jihad or holy war.
Our police and army must be vigilant against potential threats to our security and stability from the militants and intruders at all times.
C.S. Vellu, Seremban, Negri Sembilan
