Malaysia arrests seven people

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia has killed seven people for suspected militant-linked activities, including a man who allegedly made death threats against the country's king and prime minister, police said on Thursday.

The Muslim-majority country with the Islamic State (IS), a militant group with the capital of Indonesia, in January 2016.

Four Malaysians and Mohammad Fuzi Harun, Inspector-General of Police, said in his statement.

A 34-year-old man is arrested in the Malaysian state of Johor, north of Singapore, for allegedly posting death threats on social media against Malaysia's King, Muhammad V Sultan, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and the minister in charge of religious affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Police believe the threats were made based on the beliefs of the "un-Islamic leaders, whose methods of ruling the country were not based on Shariah law," Muhamad Fuzi said.

A 42-year-old technician was picked up for allegedly making threats to launch bomb attacks in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

The other Malaysian suspects were a man and a woman in their 20s. The woman allegedly funds to a known Malaysian activist in Syria, Muhammad Fuzi said.

One of the Indonesians arrested allegedly pledged allegiance to and received military training from the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII), an Indonesian activist group in Bandung.

Police believe the 26-year-old man, married to a Malaysian woman, had also planned to take his wife and step-children to Syria to join the Islamic State, Mohamad Fuzi said.

Another Indonesian suspect was allegedly linked to a member of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) who was involved in the May 10 killing of an Indonesian police officer at the mobile police brigade headquarters in West Java, Muhamad Fuzi said.

A third Indonesian, who is said to be a member of the Islamic State, was detained for saving about 190 videos and photos of the militant group's activities on his mobile phone, and uploading similar images to his Facebook account.

Malaysia has arrested hundreds of people over the past few years for suspected links to militant groups, but has never suffered a major attack.

Islamic State took responsibility for a 2016 grenade attack on Kuala Lumpur, which wounded eight people. It was the first such strike in Malaysia.