The escape of terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari in Feb 2008 sent waves of fear throughout Singapore.
His almost year-long disappearance unsettled many, as the possibility of a terror attack on our shores became even more real.
Now a similar sentiment may resurface after the announcement of the release of Malaysian militant Yazid Sufaat.
Believed to have planned an attack on Singapore a few years ago, 55-year-old Yazid’s release after only 2 years of imprisonment is quite befuddling.
According to TODAYonline, police released Yazid from the Simpang Renggam detention centre in Johor yesterday (20 Nov).
He had been detained for 2 years since Dec 2017 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), after authorities found that he had been recruiting prison inmates into al-Qaeda.
The biochemist, who studied Biology and Chemistry from California State University, was suspected to have been a part of the September 11 or 9/11 attacks in America in 2001.
He didn’t execute the attack itself, but allegedly opened his Kuala Lumpur home to the al-Qaeda leaders who planned it.
For his role in the World Trade Centre attacks, Yazid was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
He walked free 7 years later in 2008, only to get into trouble two more times after his release:
Within a span of 16 years, Yazid had been in and out of prison three times, all for terrorist activities.
A year before the 9/11 attacks, Yazid had apparently obtained 4 tonnes or 4,000 kg of ammonium nitrate for a plot to bomb Singapore.
Thankfully, the plan by Jemaah Islamiah (JI) fell apart.
But Yazid’s knowledge and expertise made him a valuable asset to terrorist groups.
Apart from setting up a lab in Afghanistan to produce weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a 2002 statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) revealed that Yazid also assisted in a series of bombings on Christian churches in Jakarta, Medan and Batam in Dec 2000.
Considering his string of offences, it’s no surprise that Malaysian police’s counter-terrorism chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay described Yazid as “the most challenging militant” for the authorities to rehabilitate so far.
Nevertheless, police had to adhere to the release agreement as his detention without trial period has expired.
Bernama quoted Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador in a report last month that,
He (Yazid) has served his sentence and only if he commits an offence after his release, will the police take action.
In accordance with the law, the police had to release Yazid.
To reassure the public, police will place Yazid under close surveillance for 2 years, requiring him to wear an electronic monitoring device (EMD), based on a report by Malay Mail.
He will also have to abide by the following restrictions:
Police will review the monitoring at the end of the 2 years.
Whether Yazid has truly repented or not is something we cannot be sure of.
But perhaps we can take comfort in the fact that the police are taking precautionary measures and keeping a close eye on him.
After so many trips in and out of prison, let’s hope that Yazid will seize this chance to repent and not put people’s lives in danger anymore.
Featured image adapted from lowyat.net.
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