Malaysia detains more than 10 terror suspects

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysia has detained more than 10 men suspected to be involved in an Indonesia-based militant group smuggling weapons from the Philippines, reports said Thursday.

The men, including Indonesians and Filipinos, were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows detention without trial, this week, the New Straits Times and The Star reported.

They were arrested in Sabah state on Borneo island, where they were allegedly gathering weapons from the Philippines, the Times said.

They are suspected to be linked to Abu Umar’s group, based in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island, it said.

Umar was arrested in July in Indonesia and is accused of planning an attack on the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta.

The daily said the group was recruiting locals and sending them for militant training in neighboring countries.

A police official confirmed the arrests but could not give any further details. Police are expected to make an official announcement later Thursday.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in September that he would abolish the ISA, which activists have criticized as a draconian law to silence dissent, and replace it with other laws to hold terror suspects.

The ISA, which dates back to the British colonial era, when it was used against communist insurgents, has been frequently used to detain suspected terrorists, document forgers and human traffickers, as well as government opponents.