DATE=7/6/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=MALAYSIA-ARMS (L)
NUMBER=2-264129
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A gang of men who pulled off a daring weapons
robbery in Malaysia surrendered in the fourth day of a
standoff between the gang and security forces in the
dense Malaysian jungle. Two hostages were killed in
Malaysia's worst security crisis in many years. VOA
correspondent Gary Thomas reports from our Southeast
Asia bureau.
TEXT: The gunmen who embarrassed the Malaysian
government by stealing arms from army bases emerged
from their jungle hideout and surrendered Thursday.
Defense minister Najib Tun Razak said 27 men gave
themselves up in Perak state, where they had been
holding out against a massive security force of police
and army troops. Five of the gunmen -- whom
authorities had identified as members of an Islamic
cult - were taken to the hospital to be treated for
injuries.
The gang had been locked in a tense standoff with some
one-thousand police and army troops in the jungles of
northern Malaysia's Perak state since they pulled off
their arms raid on Sunday. They killed two of their
three hostages before surrendering. One of those
executed was an undercover policeman.
The gunmen, disguised as senior army officers, bluffed
their way onto two military compounds early Sunday on
the pretext of conducting a surprise security
inspection. Once inside, they made off with more than
100 automatic assault rifles, grenade launchers, and
thousands of rounds of ammunition. They then fled
into the jungle, taking two undercover policemen and a
farmer hostage as they did so.
News of the hostage deaths came from two gang members
who slipped away and surrendered to authorities
earlier in the day. The defectors, who were cooks for
the group, said the two hostages were killed in
retaliation for the wounding of two of the gunmen by
security forces.
National Police chief Norian Mai had identified the
gunmen as members of a shadowy Islamic cult called Al-
Ma unah, or the Brotherhood of Inner Power. He said
the group practices martial arts and espouses creation
of a pure Islamic state, and that one of the groups
leaders is a former army officer court-martialled for
dealing in drugs and illegal immigrants.
The theft deeply embarrassed the government of Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Such incidents are
extremely rare in Malaysia, where no armed insurgency
has existed since a Communist rebel movement petered
out in the 1950s. Calls have been raised for the
resignation of Defense Minister Najib.
The courts are expected to deal harshly with the
gunmen. Possession of even a single bullet in
Malaysia is punishable by death. (signed)
Neb/HK/gpt/GC/PLM
06-Jul-2000 07:02 AM EDT (06-Jul-2000 1102 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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