3 Bangladeshis deported from Malaysia jailed on return home
PETALING JAYA : Three Bangladeshi nationals, deported from Malaysia on suspicion of involvement in militant activities, have been arrested and detained after they arrived home on Friday.
They were taken into custody by members of the Bangladesh anti-terrorism unit, produced in court the same day and ordered to be detained, according to the Bangladesh online newspaper bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh anti-terrorism chief Akkas Uddin Bhuiyan was quoted by bdnews24.com as saying that the process of filing cases against the three was under way. The authorities were still verifying their background, he said.
The trio were among 36 detained in Malaysia between May and June for their involvement in a radical militant movement linked to the Islamic State (IS).
Last week, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said 15 of the 36 had been issued deportation orders, while 16 others are still under investigation for their suspected involvement in the militant movement.
Saifuddin said five were involved in terrorism and had been charged in Shah Alam, Selangor, and Johor.
On Friday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said the 36 were believed to be part of a militant group comprising between 100 and 150 members, all Bangladeshi migrant workers employed in factories, construction sites, and petrol stations across Malaysia.
The Bangladesh government said today that officials of its high commission in Malaysia were communicating closely with Malaysian authorities.
'Bangladesh once again reiterates its firm stand against all forms of terrorism, violent extremism and militancy and it remains ready to extend full cooperation to the Malaysian authorities in this regard,' the Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement.
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