Cops seek Interpol Red Notice for Tamim Dahri

 Home minister says police obtained a warrant for the controversial activist's arrest from a Langkawi magistrate on May 17.

Activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak was to be charged in the Langkawi magistrates’ court in March under Section 295 of the Penal Code for defiling a sacred object with the intention of insulting a religion. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Police have applied with Interpol for a Red Notice to be issued for activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, who left the country just before he was to be charged in court earlier this year.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the police were still working on tracking Tamim down, adding that he was believed to be still overseas, based on checks with the immigration department.

“The police obtained a warrant for his arrest from a Langkawi magistrate on May 17 and have blacklisted the suspect.

“The police have requested for his passport to be revoked and applied for a Red Notice with Interpol on June 8,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.

Saifuddin was responding to RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong), who asked about the government’s actions to ensure Tamim was brought to face his court charge.

A total of 192 police reports had been lodged against Tamim following a video showing him allegedly desecrating the trishul, a sacred Hindu object.

Tamim, who was at the forefront of a campaign against allegedly “illegal” Hindu temples, claimed he was unaware that he had desecrated a trishul, saying he mistook it for a “rusty piece of metal”.

Tamim was supposed to be charged in the Langkawi magistrates’ court on March 17 under Section 295 of the Penal Code for defiling a sacred object with the intention of insulting a religion.

However, the prosecution sought for at least two months to enable him to be brought before the court, saying he was in Saudi Arabia after travelling to Riyadh from Bangkok. -  FMT