Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said he did not regret issuing the "come back if you dare" threat to Malaysian Islamic State operatives overseas shortly before the Puchong bombing, saying this was not meant as a challenge to the terrorist group.

"No, I don't regret that. Why should I regret what I said? To challenge (anyone) is not the job of police.

“I did not challenge them. What I said was 'come back if they dare'. I did not challenge them," he told the press during a Hari Raya event today at Police Training Centre.

On June 21, IS released a video threatening the police.

“Those of you in Bukit Aman, you will no longer have peace. We will slaughter you... when we return. Our friends back home will hunt you down," said the man in the video that the police have identified as Mohd Rafi Udin, who is believed to be based in war-torn Syria.

Responding to this, Khalid on June 24 hit back, saying, "You only dare to make threats from afar, (why don't you) come back!"

Four days later, a grenade was thrown into Movida, a nightspot in Puchong, an attack which according to the police was linked to IS.

‘Don’t glamourise terrorists’

Khalid again cautioned the media against “giving space and glamourise" the terrorists.

"I warned yesterday - the press which give space to these people, (and) if you threaten the national security; we will take action against you. Take that as a warning from me. This is not a game.

"Don't give space to people who are threatening us. (You) go and interview them, what are you trying to do?" he asked.

The News Straits Times and Oriental News Daily have yesterday published interviews with a Malaysian IS leader, who warned of further attacks.

Both publications had quoted Muhammad Wandy Mohamed Jedi, who is said to be responsible for ordering the June 28 hand-grenade attack on Movida.