Two with suspected links to IS held in Malaysia

Two Malaysians, with suspected links to the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), were arrested, police said on Friday. They were plotting to launch attacks in the country.

The two suspects, both from the capital of Kuala Lumpur, were nabbed in two separate operations by the counter-terrorism branch of police on July 2 and 7, respectively, police said.

The suspects met several times in Kuala Lumpur and the neighbouring Selangor state since 2014 to discuss the plans to launch attacks in the country.

In mid-2014, two senior European members in the IS had given instructions to one of the suspects, 28, to launch attacks on Western interests in Kuala Lumpur and some places of entertainment, according to national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar.

The other suspect, 31, has joined IS in Syria early 2014 before returning to Malaysia after being injured in fighting.

"The fresh arrests, which involve locals planning to launch attacks after communicating with senior members of IS in Syria, is a new trend that is most worrying," Khalid said.