The police held simultaneous raids in seven locations nationwide early this morning in search of a housewife, Halimah Hussein, who is suspected of being affiliated with the terrorist group, Tanzim Al-Qaeda Malaysia. The raids were held in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, as well as in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.
The raids however failed to locate the 52 year old Halimah.
The woman was previously arrested and accused of being a member of the Malaysian Al-Qaeda affiliate group together with former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, Yazid Sufaat, 49, and cafeteria worker, Muhammad Hilmi Hasim, 33.
The Putrajaya Appeals Court issued a warrant for Halimah's arrest after she failed to turn up for an appeals hearing against her release by the Kuala Lumpur Criminal High Court on May 20 where she was charged under Section 130 G(a) of the Penal Code.
The director of the Royal Malaysian Police's Bukit Aman based Special Task Force (Operations & Anti-Terrorism), Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, said that two other individuals - Yazid and Muhammad Hilmi - who were released together with Halimah were subsequently re-arrested on May 27 and charged under Section 130 of the Penal Code which defines their offence as "inciting, promoting or soliciting property for the commission of terrorist acts".
"Halimah is also wanted for arrest under the same offence but she disappeared after her earlier release. As a result, officers from the Special Task Force conducted simultaneous raids early this morning in seven locations suspected to be Halimah's hideout," he said.
Mohamad Fuzi further added that the places raided included locations in Gombak, Ampang and Kajang in Selangor, Pandan Indah in Kuala Lumpur and Masai in Johor.
He explained that these locations are residences of Halimah's family members and relatives but the raids produced no results.
The police however believe that Halimah is still in hiding within Malaysian borders and appealed to the public to contact the Investigation Officer, Inspector Hasimah Ismail, at 03.2266.7026 should they have any information that can aid in the investigation as well as apprehend the suspect.
"I would like to remind the public that anyone who renders aid and shelter to Halimah might be committing an offence under Section 130 K of the Penal Code which carries a 20 year prison sentence or life imprisonment. Anyone who deliberately witholds information about the suspect might also be committing an offence under Section 130 M of the Penal Code which carries a seven year prison sentence," he warned.
Halimah is a widow and holds a law degree from the International Islamic University. She was initially arrested together with Yazid and Muhammad Hilmi last February on the suspicion that they were recruiting locals for militant activities prior to being sent overseas for terrorist missions.
During their hearing in the High Court, Yazid was accused of inciting terrorism with the intention to cause harm to civilians in Syria last year while both Muhammad Hilmi and Halimah were accused of being collaborators.
The three of them are suspected of being in the same Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group with two other Malaysians - Razif Mohd Arif, 30, and Muhamad Razin Sharhan Mustafa, 21 - both of whom are currently in custody in Beirut, Lebanon.
The two Malaysians were arrested by Lebanese authorities last October 18 in Beirut for suspicion of involvement in a terrorist group and will have their charges heard in a Lebanese court this November 8.
- Malaysia Chronicle; Utusan Malaysia
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