Police identified several spots used as 'stopovers' for IS militants

KOTA KINABALU - Several locations in Sabah have been identified as being ‘stopovers’ or transit points for Islamic State IS) militants before they enter the southern Philippines.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din said police are keeping a close watch on the identified locations.

“We have identified several of locations in Sabah that are being used by the militants as a transit point before gaining access into the southern Philippines,” he said, but added that he cannot disclose the locations due to security reasons.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had previously said that the militants are believed to have planned to take advantage of the Tawau district in Sabah's east coast as a transit point to enter southern Philippines.

Meanwhile, Ramli said police have bolstered security and intelligence to monitor the movement of IS groups in the country and have crippled their activities, as proven when police arrested four suspected IS group members recently.

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Sabah Not Transit For Daish Terrorists - IGP

KUALA LUMPUR - Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar today denied Sabah is a transit location for Daish terrorists from neighbouring countries.

Instead, he said, the state is only a passage area, including for those involved in economic activities, from three countries, namely the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

"Sabah is not a transit location. No. They (the criminals) gather at the Southern Philippines (through Sabah).

"I do not believe Sabah is a transit point, they (criminal) only pass through the state," he told reporters after the monthly assembly of all departments in the Bukit Aman Police Headquarters here today.

At the same time, he said, Tawau's geographical location and the three countries, makes way for the movements in and out of Sabah.

- Astro Awani