Malaysia minister says terror suspect who killed 2 police officers acted on his own

Malaysia minister says terror suspect who killed 2 police officers acted on his own

Malaysia minister says terror suspect who killed 2 police officers acted on his own

Malaysia's government says the young man who attacked a police station and killed two officers was a recluse and believed to have acted on his own, despite suspected links to the Jemaah Islamiyah terror group

ByThe Associated Press

May 18, 2024, 1:12 AM

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- The young man who attacked a Malaysian police station and killed two officers was a recluse and believed to have acted on his own, despite suspected links to the Jemaah Islamiyah terror group, the country's home minister said Saturday.

    The man stormed a police station in southern Johor state near Singapore in the early hours of Friday with a machete. He hacked a police constable to death and then used the dead officer’s weapon to kill another. He injured a third officer before being shot dead. Police initially said the man could have been attempting to take firearms from the station.

    Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution called it a “lone wolf attack,” based on the initial investigation, and said there was no threat to the wider public.

    “We have established that the attacker acted on his own ... a lone wolf driven by certain motivation and his own understanding,” Saifuddin said. “His action is not linked to any larger mission.”

    Police have said the man's father was a known member of the Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian terror network linked to al-Qaida, and that they found materials linked to the group in their home. Seven people including the man's parents and three siblings were detained and police were searching for some 20 Jemaah Islamiyah members in the state.

    The incident sparked concerns over a possible wider terror threat, prompting Singapore to issue a warning to its citizens to be vigilant when traveling to Johor.

    Police initially said the attacker was 34, but Saifudin said he was 21 years old, with no criminal record. He said the man did not interact much with his neighbors, and nor does his family. Investigations are ongoing to determine what the man's motive was, he added.

    Jemaah Islamiyah, designated a terror group by the U.S and banned in Indonesia, is widely blamed for attacks in the Philippines and Indonesia including the 2002 bombings in the Indonesian resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. The group has been considerably weakened by security crackdowns in the region.

    OTHER NEWS

    25 minutes ago

    David Warner posts a beery photo after his last game for Australia - but it's NOTHING like what you'd expect - as wife Candice has a very surprising reaction

    26 minutes ago

    Kingdom Hearts, As Told By Steam Reviews

    26 minutes ago

    England vs Slovenia player ratings: Jude Bellingham and Conor Gallagher disappoint at Euro 2024

    26 minutes ago

    Superstar Calvin Harris is Coming to Bahrain on This Date!

    27 minutes ago

    Austria beat Netherlands in five-goal Euro 2024 thriller to top Group D

    27 minutes ago

    Rocky Mountain tourist learns the hard way not to get between a mother bear and her cubs

    27 minutes ago

    Creative Overwatch 2 Fan Comes Up With Baldur's Gate 3 Skin Concepts

    27 minutes ago

    Life By You is Canceled, But Another Sims Competitor is Still Coming

    27 minutes ago

    Afghanistan in T20 World Cup semifinal: A real fairy tale?

    27 minutes ago

    Eagles' Brandon Graham happy Saquon Barkley joined team, says losing star RB 'sucked for the Giants fans'

    27 minutes ago

    Watch: San Diego Zoo celebrates birth of endangered Baird's tapir

    27 minutes ago

    Why the Netherlands wear orange whilst playing football

    27 minutes ago

    Elden Ring Fan Creates Incredible Acrylic Painting of The Lands Between

    27 minutes ago

    England 0-0 Slovenia: player ratings from the Euro 2024 Group C game

    27 minutes ago

    Cups thrown at England manager Gareth Southgate after 0-0 draw with Slovenia

    28 minutes ago

    Airplane suddenly drops 25,000 feet midflight, injuring 17 passengers

    29 minutes ago

    Asia-Pacific markets mostly lower ahead of Australia's May inflation figures

    29 minutes ago

    After losing home, family hopes for historic café’s survival as Rapidan Dam collapse looms

    31 minutes ago

    Attractions work on affordability to draw staycationing Calgarians this summer

    33 minutes ago

    Video: Lemurs in the wild serenade each other with a distinct rhythm, study finds - suggesting the ability to sing evolved early in primates

    33 minutes ago

    Joe and Jill Biden refinanced their Delaware home 20 times — raking in $4.2M from the $350K property

    34 minutes ago

    Boxing-Usyk vacates IBF heavyweight title

    34 minutes ago

    FTX customers to vote on multi-billion dollar repayment plan

    34 minutes ago

    New footage of Adelaide Westfield shopping centre incident emerges

    34 minutes ago

    Lytton, B.C., rebuild continues three years after wildfire destroyed most of town

    34 minutes ago

    Report: Dallas Cowboys’ Stephen Jones Is ‘Pulling’ Jerry Jones Back From Going All-In On Free Agency

    34 minutes ago

    ‘We’re confident’: Not over yet for Cats great

    34 minutes ago

    Anti-Labour placards backfire for the Green Party

    34 minutes ago

    Millionaire residents fury that town has turned into dumping ground

    34 minutes ago

    Bears D-line gets poor ranking ahead of 2024 season

    34 minutes ago

    Cole Palmer speaks after making Euros debut against Slovenia

    37 minutes ago

    Claim Trump can make tips tax-free needs context

    37 minutes ago

    Whistleblower's attorney says Baylor St. Luke's heart surgeons were routinely double or triple-booking surgeries

    38 minutes ago

    Israelis' lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars

    39 minutes ago

    Kylian Mbappé scores but encounters issues wearing protective mask on return for France at Euro 2024

    39 minutes ago

    Inflation expected to ‘slightly rise’ in May

    39 minutes ago

    Almost half of people on antidepressants could quit

    39 minutes ago

    Einhorn’s Greenlight Slams ‘Head of Macro’ in Fresh Lawsuit

    39 minutes ago

    Packers Rookie Preview: Kitan Oladapo

    39 minutes ago

    International court issues warrants over Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians