Five "secret witnesses" have been scheduled to testify in the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 case against Yazid Sufaat and Muhammad Hilmi Hasim, the prosecution told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

DPP Mohd Hanafiah Zakaria, told the court that these witnesses do not want their names, ages or addresses known to the public.

"We are making this application under Section 14 of Sosma, for an inquiry held in court, as to whether these witnesses could testify.

"This inquiry is to be held without the lawyers (for Yazid and Hilmi) present.

"After the inquiry is held, the judge (Moh‎d Azman Husin) may then decide if these witnesses can testify," Hanafiah told the court.

He said police witnesses would also testify at the hearing.

Voices to be distorted?

The secret witnesses, he added, would testify either in camera, through closed-circuit television from a different courtroom or have curtains placed to conceal their identity.

"We also do not want their voices to be easily recognised," added Hanafiah, who is the deputy head of the Prosecution Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Section 14 of Sosma, allows protected witnesses to conceal their identity when they testify, as it is classified as evidence of witness in a special manner.

It is understood that this is the first time such measures are to be used during a trial under Sosma.

Yazid, a former Internal ‎Security Act detainee for seven years and Hilmi, a canteen assistant, are charged with being members and recruiters of Tanzim Al Qaeda Malaysia.

They are the first to be detained under Sosma, when the law was introduced to replace the ISA.

Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad ( left ) who is acting for Yazid objected to the manner in which such witnesses are being brought in to give their testimony.

He said the Federal Court had ruled that lawyers could at anytime object to any request by the prosecution, and this is such a request.

“Hence we are making the strongest objection for such a procedure being held and would like that the testimony or evidence be adduced under the normal way,” said Amer Hamzah.

Justice Mohd Azman noted the ruling which was made by Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria but did not make any immediate ruling on this.