Six political detainees under the Internal Security Act are hunger striking to protest the re-arrest of Keadilan leader Dr Badrul Amin Bahron under the security law recently.

The detainees, including Badrul himself - who are all being held for two years at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak - started their strike early this month.

In a joint statement relayed to malaysiakini today, the six said Badruls arrest had nothing to do with him being a threat to national security as alleged by the police. It was politically motivated, they claimed.

We demand that the home minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) explain the re-arrest and his continued detention with a valid and credible explanation, added the statement.

Apart from Badrul, the other five detainees are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Lokman Noor Adam, and social activist-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.

Arrested last April for allegedly trying to topple the government through militant means, the six were sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre in June to serve a two-year detention order.

Last November, Badrul, a Keadilan supreme council member and former International Islamic University lecturer, was released and placed under restricted residence in Gombak where he resides.

His release came with several other conditions, including one restricting him from holding any political party posts and participating in political activities.

However, on Jan 31, Badrul was re-arrested and sent back to the Kamunting detention centre.

The 40-year-old preacher and motivational expert, is well-known among opposition and reform supporters for his fiery speeches.

Unfounded allegation

The six detainees said in their statement today Badruls re-arrest affirmed their belief that their arrests were politically motivated and had nothing to do with the security threat allegation.

The detainees also demanded they be formally charged in court or be released unconditionally.

The governments failure to bring us to trial would prove that the allegations were unfounded and a figment of its imagination.

This would then render the government no other alternative but to free us without further delay, they said.

The six also warned that their prison food boycott will escalate should there be no response from the government to their demands.

In the past, the detainees had gone on hunger strikes to protest against the harsh treatment meted out at the detention centre.