They cannot mutilate bodies like cutting off heads, says Zahid Hamidi

In the laws of war, intruders or members of the security forces cannot mutilate bodies like ripping off eyes, decapitating heads or cutting up bodies. - Defence Minister

IPOH: The Sulu intruders should be tried according to Malaysian laws for brutally and inhumanely killing eight policemen, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi .

"We will ensure that no Filipino terrorist escape from our dragnet and we want them dead or arrested," he told reporters after launching a carnival here.

Zahid did not rule out that the intruders were under the influence of drugs or were using black magic for resorting to such dastardly act.

"In the laws of war, intruders or members of the security forces cannot mutilate bodies like ripping off eyes, decapitating heads or cutting up bodies.

"What they did was unacceptable to Malaysia for this acts showed that the Filipino terrorists have no mercy," he said, adding that the armed forces would leave it to the police to take appropriate actions against the terrorists according to the laws.

Zahid said no party should question who led the mopping-up operations for the armed forces and the police worked together in defending the country.

"We want the people to know that when the situation called for it, the police and the armed forces can work together.

"That is why the armed forces chief and the inspector-general of police have been holding joint news conferences," he added.

On self-proclaimed Sultan Jamalul Kiram III's call for a ceasefire, Zahid said the government would not compromise for there was no sign of the terrorists letting up.

"I have been at ground zero, and I could see that they intended to continue to occupy the areas that they had intruded for they had been promised a sum of money and farm land in Sabah by Jamalul Kiram and other leaders," he added. - Bernama