After keeping mum for six days, the police today confirmed that a former army officer who served as a United Nations peacekeeper in Bosnia was arrested under the Internal Security Act last Thursday.

Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai said that Abdul Manaf Kasmuri, a former colonel, was detained for his alleged involvement in the Jemaah Islamiah group.

"It is correct, we have detained him for involvement in JI," national news agency Bernama quoted Norian as saying.

Malaysiakini yesterday broke the news that Abdul Manaf was arrested under the controversial law o­n Feb 20, between 10pm and 11pm at his home in Shah Alam, Selangor.

According to a statement from Abolish ISA Movement (AIM), Abdul Manaf was immediately driven to his office in Gombak where a thorough search was conducted until 3am.

The police refused to confirm the arrest when contacted yesterday and earlier today, citing that details of any ISA arrest could not be divulged due to "security reasons", especially given that Kuala Lumpur is currently hosting the Non-Aligned Movement summit. The summit ended yesterday.

Abdul Manaf is a human resource manager of the Koperasi Belia Islam Malaysia Berhad (KBI), an Islamic financial institution which has close links with the influential Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim).

Family in the dark

Abim, in a statement today, urged the police to reveal more details regarding the arrest.

"It has been six days since Abdul Manaf's arrest and his family is still awaiting news from the police about his health and whereabouts," said Abim secretary-general Shahran Kassim.

"We want the police to allow the family to visit Abdul Manaf. We also urge the authorities to release Abdul Manaf immediately and charge him in court if they have evidence of his guilt."

ISA allows for indefinite detention without trial following an initial period of interrogation of a maximum of 60 days. In the early days of arrest, suspects are rarely allowed to meet with family member or lawyers.

More than 62 alleged members of JI have been arrested and detained under the ISA for allegedly plotting to overthrow Southeast Asian governments through violence and to convert their respective countries into Islamic states.