Islamic State’s presence detected in M’sia, supporting local party

JOHOR BARU – The Islamic State (IS) has launched a media platform in Malaysia, claiming its presence in the country.

Called the Al Malaka Media Centre, the group linked to IS media outlets in Indonesia and the Philippines is understood to be in direct support of a “radical political party and an established radical organisation”.

The Nordic Counter-Terrorism Network’s (NCTN) Cyber Counter-Terrorism Division who identified Al Malaka Media Centre revealed that the group’s content is available on the dark web.

The dark web is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines and can only be accessed by specific applications such as the Tor browser.

NCTN revealed that the group has shared links with its support structures in the country and uses radical ideologies to destabilise the current administration led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Based on materials obtained by NCTN and shared with The Vibes, the group created an image depicting the Petronas Twin Towers with IS flags flying at the top of the building with a burning fighter jet in the sky along with the words “Hari Penaklukan Segera Tiba” (the day of conquest is soon upon us).

NCTN director Andrin Raj said the group poses a national security threat to Malaysia and it is possible that they could trigger indiscriminate small-scale acts of violence in the country.

“Its purpose would be to destabilise the current multiracial government. They have smaller chat groups within Malaysia, where they share religious views and propaganda and recruit members.

“In terms of propaganda, they supply radical ideologies from different clerics, including radical Malaysian preachers,” Andrin said when contacted.

Authorities aware, no cause for worry: Saifuddin

Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the authorities have been aware of the group’s attempt at expanding its influence in Malaysia.

“Of course, we cannot divulge more details, but the public need not be worried as we are monitoring their activities with the cooperation of our international security and counter-terrorism partners.

“Any attempt to disrupt law and order, the security of the country, the safety of our people, and our way of life will be dealt with severely,” he told The Vibes when met in Manila during Anwar’s official visit.

Based on an article from The Diplomat published last year, IS’ operations in the Southeast Asian region are centred in the south of the Philippines.

The IS leader in the region goes by the nom de guerre Abu Zacharia, real name Jer Mimbantas, and is understood to be part of the IS outfit that laid siege to Marawi, Philippines in 2017.

IS has seen its fair share of Malaysian fighters in the past, the most recently reported being two individuals captured in Afghanistan in August 2021.

More recently, individuals professing support for IS were detained in Singapore this month.

One individual, an 18-year-old Singaporean student, was detained after being radicalised via online IS propaganda and attempting to use social media to recruit members.

Meanwhile, on February 21 another 15-year-old Singaporean was also arrested and detained under the International Security Act after professing support for both IS and Al-Qaeda. – The Vibes, March 5, 2023

Additional reporting by Terence Fernandez