Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday defended the nation’s strict security laws, saying they are needed to fight terrorism as the Islamic State group warned of revenge over a crackdown on its members.
Najib said the terrorism threat is “very real” and that the laws are crucial to ensure Malaysia is not open to infiltration. Opening a two-day international counter-terrorism conference, he said he would not apologize for taking steps to preserve national security.
“There are no civil liberties under [the Islamic State group] and there are no shields against those who are set on committing acts of terrorism. The best way to uphold civil liberties is to ensure the safety of the nation,” Najib said.
Human rights activists have slammed a law implemented last year that revives detention without trial. Critics also voiced fears that another law approved last month that gives sweeping powers to a council led by the prime minister could be a step toward dictatorship.
Police earlier said the Islamic State group had posted a video that warns of attacks over the arrest of its members.
Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, who heads the Malaysian police counter-terrorism unit, said on the sidelines of the conference that the video carried the Islamic State group logo and featured two Malaysians based in Syria. He said there were previous videos with similar warnings, but this was the first video with a logo of the militant group.
“They threaten to carry out attacks in Malaysia” if their members are not released and more are arrested, said Ayob, adding that police would step up their operations.
On Sunday, police said they had detained seven men suspected of being an Islamic State group cell that was plotting attacks. The seven Malaysians were detained in several states over three days after the Jan. 15 detention of a man police said was planning a suicide attack in Kuala Lumpur.
Police also seized bullets, jihad books and Islamic State group flags and videos.
Malaysia raised its security alert level following the Jan. 14 attacks in Indonesia that left seven people dead.
Earlier at the conference, Australia and Indonesian officials said their governments plan to bolster their anti-terrorism laws.
Australian Minister of Justice Michael Keenan said the Australian Parliament passed anti-terrorism legislation last year to allow agencies to better investigate and prosecute extremists and their supporters.
Keenan said laws planned for this year would allow a control order to be imposed on children as young as 14 years old.
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