Mistaken as terrorists, Malaysian TV producer and crew detained in UK, says report

Youths carrying banners protesting US air strikes on the Islamic State in Raqqa. Rising concerns over religious extremism saw a Malaysian television producer and his crew detained for 48 hours in Britain. – Reuters pic, September 27, 2014.

Amid growing fears of religious and political extremism, a Malaysian television producer and his production crew were detained in Britain on suspicions of terrorism, Astro Awani reported.

Freelance television producer Farihin Abdul Fatah along with six members of his production crew were detained minutes after their arrival in the UK and placed in prison for 48 hours.

“We were shooting and still filming at present,” Farihin told Astro Awani. “We had just arrived in Holyhead, Wales, from Ireland at approximately 12.20am and just as were queuing to complete the immigration cards, we were captured by a total of 20 policemen and police dogs.

“After four hours of waiting, a police officer came, passed us uniforms to wear and said that we were arrested as suspected terrorists. It was dodgy and the arrest has left us puzzled.”

According to the report, the crew members were asked to unload their luggage for inspection and given some forms to fill.

They were then charged under Schedule 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2000.

Farihin told Astro Awani that he and his crew members were not allowed to contact their family members by mobile phone although he managed to send two messages to his wife and some close friends to inform them of their arrests before being taken to prison.

He said he was also denied access to the Malaysian embassy in the UK, although he and his crew members were treated fairly in prison as meals were provided along with prayer mats and copies of the Al-Quran.

According to Astro Awani, Farihin and his crew were represented by duty solicitors while in custody.

This follows growing reports of Malaysians being detained on terror charges in conjunction with extremist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that three local men had been detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on suspicion of heading to Syria to join up with Isis fighters.

Earlier, Singapore daily, The Straits Times, reported that militants from Malaysia and Indonesia fighting in Syria had come together to form their own military unit based on common language and culture, prompting fears that Isis would continue expanding in Southeast Asia.

On September 14, meanwhile, former PAS member Lotfi Ariffin died in Syria from injuries suffered while fighting alongside Isis forces.

Lotfi had reportedly been with a group of Malaysian Isis fighters when they were caught in an ambush by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

And last month, The Malaysian Insider reported that Malaysian women are believed to have joined Isis forces to offer what is called “Jihad al-Nikah” or “conjugal jihad”.

Senior intelligence officials later confirmed that three Malaysian women had journeyed to the Middle East to join up with Isis forces.

Countries such as Australia have raised their terror alert levels to “high”, citing an increased likelihood of a terrorist attack at home, while Malaysia earlier this week put out a red alert in Sabah on news that militant group Abu Sayyaf had declared its support for the Isis movement in Syria.

- TMI