No Malaysians involved in IS ideology spread, says IGP [WATCH]
He said all those arrested were Bangladeshi nationals working in the factory, construction and service sectors.
Khalid added police are actively tracking down others involved in spreading the IS ideology in Malaysia to prevent the nation from turning into a logistics and transit hub for extremist activities.
This, Khalid said, was to protect Malaysia's diplomatic relations and its international reputation.
"National security is of utmost priority which cannot be compromised. Every effort made is to protect Malaysians and the nation from any element of terrorism.
"Alhamdulillah, there was no involvement amongst Malaysians," he said his first press conference at as IGP at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, here, today.
Out of the 36 individuals, five were charged under Chapter VIA of the Penal Code which deals with offences relating to terrorism, 15 were handed over to the Immigration Department for deportation.
The 16 others are still in police custody under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), for further investigation.
"On our part, whoever is minimally involved, we will deport them to their origin country while those deeply involved will be charge under the laws of our country, especially under the Sosma" Khalid said.
He said the dissemination of the extremist ideology was mainly done via social media to reach the migrant workers.
"It was solely through WhatsApp and Telegram and we have identified about 100 to 150 members, aged between 25 and 35.
He added that members who recited the "bai'ah" also known as an oath of loyalty online, would then be appointed as leaders of certain localities to further disseminate the ideology and expand their influence.
The group, known as Gerakan Militan Radikal Bangladesh (GMRB), also held secret meetings.
GMRB is a Bangladeshi militant network that is attempting to spread the Islamic State (IS)‑inspired extremist ideology in Malaysia through its community here.
Police operations began when a few Facebook accounts with Malaysian Internet Protocol (IP) addresses were flagged for spreading the extremist ideology.
Khalid urged Malaysians to be more cautious of their surroundings and report suspicious activities.
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