JOHOR BARU, 27 May 2009: One of the region’s most wanted militants, Mas Selamat Kastari, who was arrested in Skudai, Johor last month, is being held for two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
“Mas Selamat is under a two-year detention at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Kamunting, Taiping,” a highly placed source told Bernama today.
Mas Selamat, the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leader of the Singapore chapter, who escaped from the maximum security detention centre in Singapore in February last year, was nabbed in Kampung Tawakal, Skudai, Johor on 9 May.
According the sources, the detention would mean that the alleged Singaporean militant would not be extradited to the republic.
Whether Mas Selamat will be handed to the Singaporean authorities would be discussed towards the end of his detention, said the source.
“While under detention, Mas Selamat will be undergoing a rehabilitation programme which will include debating with religious experts on Islam,” said the sources.
It is learned that an ordinary JI member, Abdul Matin of Ulu Tiram, who was picked up in April, is also being held for two years under ISA.
According to another source, a villager, Johar Hassan, who was arrested for renting his house in Kampung Tawakal to Mas Selamat had been placed under restricted residence.
Johar has to make periodical visits to the nearest police station and is not allowed to leave his house at night. He must seek permission if he wants to leave the district. — Bernama
