IS fighters borrowed RM100K and more for one-way ticket to jihad

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians leaving to fight for militant group Islamic State (IS) took bank loans of up to RM100,000 ― that they do not plan on repaying ― to fund their jihadist lifestyle, the police said in a New Straits Times (NST) report today.

The police said the fighters would also dispose of most of their assets here, and the money would then be used to buy firearms when they arrive in Syria, among others.

“We know that before this, many militants wanting to fight in Syria would sell off their belongings or were sponsored to go over [there] by IS supporters in the country. Lately, however, the trend of taking personal loans from banks is on the rise.

“They include young militants, especially those in the early 20s. Those with low credit ratings will apply for personal loans for as low as RM5,000,” Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, assistant director-general of the Malaysian police counter-terrorism division, told NST.

Ayob said the jihadists prefer to buy the Russian-made AK-47 assault rifles, which cost around RM2,000 each.

Furthermore, they receive a monthly allowance from IS that allows them to live a fairly comfortable life, he said.

Sources told NST that the would-be-jihadists took the lead from their seniors who had successfully taken such personal loans before and had no intention to pay them back as they were seeking to die “martyrs”.

Police said that the 30-year-old former National Service trainer who was arrested on Wednesday had taken out a RM20,000 loan and quit his job as soon as he received the funds, to make his way to Turkey.

NST said another woman arrested on the way to Syria had taken a loan of at least RM100,000.

Sources also informed NST that the police are monitoring religious schools and orphanages that have organised fund-raising for the militant group.

In November, the prime minister tabled a White Paper in Parliament titled “Addressing the threat of Islamic State”, in which he outlined the history of IS, the threat the group poses and the impact it has on Malaysians as well as the danger in allowing its skewed Islamic teachings and practice of violence to spread in Malaysia.

According to the White Paper sighted by Malay Mail Online, 39 Malaysians are already in Syria, with 17 of them involved in IS while 22 had joined rival militants Ajnad al-Sham.