MALAYSIA should not entertain request by the Indian government to extradite preacher Dr Zakir Naik as he is a world-renowned figure and is well respected for his vast knowledge, says PAS.
PAS central information chief Nasrudin Hassan said “extremism was simply a reason” used against international Islamic preachers as an excuse to stop them from giving talks.
“There have been many Islamic preachers who were eventually hanged to death using the reasoning that they were involved in terrorism,” he said in a statement today.
He said PAS and all Malaysians who loved the truth should rally behind Zakir and protect him from being extradited to India.
Nasrudin said Zakir was also a recipient of the Maal Hijrah award in 2013.
His debating skills have even managed to get some people to accept Islam as their faith.
“This is what is feared by others,” Nasrudin said.
Recently, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) had submitted a detailed investigation report on Zakir’s alleged terror activities to the Home Affairs Ministry in New Delhi.
The Times of India reported two days ago that the agency had sought a prosecution sanction from the ministry against Zakir.
It said this was a step towards seeking Zakir’s extradition from Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, where he is known to also reside.
Zakir was last seen on September 29 during Friday prayers at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque in Putrajaya. Photographs of him among the congregation were uploaded on Facebook and spread via social media.
Zakir is also wanted by authorities in India for allegedly funding terrorism.
NIA named the preacher a “terror suspect” in a letter to Interpol. Zakir respondedby urging the international law enforcement agency to contest the “red notice” India sought for his arrest.
According to news reports, the NIA informed Interpol two months ago that it had evidence Zakir had violated Indian law, saying that he was being investigated for funding terrorist activities via his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).
Zakir has failed to present himself to the Indian authorities despite several outstanding warrants and having his passport revoked by the Regional Passport Office in Mumbai.
The charges against Zakir stemmed from Dhaka terrorist attack in Bangladesh last year that resulted in 29 deaths, including 20 hostages, NIA was reported as saying.
The IRF has also been banned for allegedly being an anti-national organisation, it added.
Zakir reportedly fled India to avoid arrest after several perpetrators of the Dhaka terror attack claimed to have been inspired by his sermons, which prompted the NIA’s case against him under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Zakir was granted permanent residence status in Malaysia five years ago.
While Malaysia has not reacted to India’s allegations and warrants against Zakir, a group of civil activists have sued the Malaysian government in a bid to compel it to arrest and deport the controversial preacher.
Besides PAS, Malay right wing group Perkasa also came out to defend Zakir and his right to be in Malaysia.
– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com
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