Armed attack in Ulu Tiram, Malaysia
The 2024 Ulu Tiram police station attack was an attack that occurred on 17 May 2024 on the Malaysian police station in Ulu Tiram, Johor, Malaysia. Two police officers were killed while one was left injured. The sole attacker identified as Radin Luqman Radin Imran was fatally shot thereafter. Malaysian authorities initially identified the deceased suspect as a member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) due to his father's connection with the terrorist group, although it was later reported that he had no involvement with JI and had acted alone.
Timeline.
On 17 May 2024, at 2:30 am, two college students entered the Ulu Tiram police station to file a report regarding an alleged molestation incident that occurred two years ago. Five minutes later, a suspect arrived at the station on a motorcycle and proceeded to the back of the station. As Constable Ahmad Azza Fahmi went to investigate the suspect, he was fatally stabbed and had his firearm taken by the suspect. Two other policemen then rushed to the back of the station to engage the suspect. A shootout ensued in which Constable Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad was fatally shot while the other was injured. The suspect was also fatally shot by a third policeman at the scene.
Both college students were apprehended for questioning in relation to their connection to the attack. At 6 am, police stormed the suspect's family home in Ulu Tiram, resulting in the arrest of five people suspected to also be members of JI.
On 19 June 2024, the suspect's five family members, including his parents and three siblings, were officially charged in court for alleged terrorism-related offences. Local authorities identified the suspect's mother as a Singaporean citizen, while the rest of the suspect's family members were Malaysians.
Related events.
The attack was followed by several further incidents, including a death threat to a Democratic Action Party (DAP) member of parliament (MP), and two individuals trying to trespass into the Istana Negara. Another individual was arrested after trying to snatch a police sub-machine gun at the Dato Keramat police station in Penang.
Reactions.
Domestic.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, offered condolences to the families of the killed police officers.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that firm action should be taken against those who attempt to create chaos in Malaysia to the extent of causing deaths. Anwar said he supports all efforts made by the police and asked the public to give their full cooperation to the authorities.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reminded the police to redoubling their efforts and not taking any terrorist threat lightly following disclosure by the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT) that terrorist groups are using online video games to recruit youth to join their movement.
The Malaysian Islamic Party questioned the security preparedness of the country's civil forces and also requested the Home Ministry to answer on why the police failed to stop the attack from happening.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail affirmed that the attack was carried out by a lone suspect and that they had former terrorist or militant group members under constant monitoring. Due to the attack, the previous procedure of keeping the police stations' main gates opened around the clock had been modified to have the gates shut at 10.00 p.m. each night.
International.
Jemaah Islamiyah.
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the co-founder of the militant group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), condemned the incident and insisted he personally was not involved in the attack through a video sent by his son to "Malaysiakini". He further expressed that whoever accuses or trying to implicate him with the attack are lying and asking them to prove it in front of Allah and advising Muslim youths to not follow hardline ways by easily labelling others as infidels without any reasons based on the Quran. He stated that Islam should be defended only through "dawah" and prayers, not by killings or bombings.
Subsequently, the whole JI terror group was disbanded by its leaders a month after the attack.
References.
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