Arrested ministry senior officer received funds for IS work

KUALA LUMPUR - The senior assistant director of the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, arrested over allegedly recruiting Malaysians into the Islamic State, received funds to carry out his activities, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

He said the funds were also for the 37-year-man to go to Syria.

Khalid said more suspects, believed to be recruiters for IS, would be nabbed soon.

"I want to assure the public that we (the police) are on top of this and we will stop them," he said.

Police arrested 14 suspected militants, including three key figures believed to be behind the recruitment of Malaysians into the Islamic State (IS) on Monday. The youngest is a 14-year-old boy.

The three are the ministry staff, an unemployed man, also 37, who owns a Facebook account used to promote IS and recruit militants; and a 34-year-old unemployed man who had returned from Syria where he fought for the extremist group.