A suspected member of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM) told the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry today that he could never be part of the militant group simply because it does not exist.

Universiti Teknologi Mara lecturer Abdullah Daud, 48, told the three-member panel that no mention of the KMM was ever made during his initial 60-day detention.

"The accusations against me in the detention order was my involvement with the KMM. Even after my repeated denials, I was still labelled as a KMM member nonetheless. There is no such thing as the KMM," said Abdullah who was detained on March 1 this year.

Abdullah is among one of the eight detainees present before commissioners Harun Hashim, Hamdan Adnan and Asiah Abu Samah, who recounted their experiences of being arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act.

Suhakam announced last Thursday that it would initiate an inquiry on the conditions of ISA detainees beginning today. After some confusion, the venue was finally set at the Taiping Prison's Sports Club complex.

Abdullah however admitted that he was a member of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI), an organisation the authorities claim was a splinter group within the KMM, with links to international terrorist organisation al-Qaeda.

"I am a JI committee member but our objective is to follow the al-Quran and Prophet Muhammad's hadith. We conduct religious classes where the teachers and students are vetted by the Home Ministry," Abdullah said.

Military training

When asked by Harun who is also Suhakam deputy chairperson whether he has ever gone overseas, Abdullah said he had been to Afghanistan and the Philippines.

"I was in Afghanistan to observe the Muslims there and in the Philippines, I followed military training with the Moro Independence Liberation Front," he said.

The MILF is alleged by the Filipino government to be a separatist movement based in southern Philippines.

"There are two kinds of help being offered there. One is the humanitarian kind and the other is the kind where we defend the Muslims there from the attacks of evildoers. A few friends and I had gone there to help the Muslims against the evildoers," said Abdullah.

Another witness, 36-year old businessman Abdullah Minyak Silam from Kajang, told the inquiry that he had also been wrongly accused of being involved with the KMM.

"I was told that I was being detained for my activities in the KMM but I have never even heard of the group before. I was in Pakistan in 1992 on a study visit. It is impossible that I am part of them," Abdullah said.

He added that the police also threatened him verbally if he did not admit to being part of the KMM.

"They said that they would arrest my wife and have my child sent to an orphanage," Abdullah said. He was arrested under the ISA on Jan 1 this year.

Earlier, a 31-year-old religious teacher from Pantai Remis, Mohd Saled Said, said he faced no problems throughout his period of detention, which began on Oct 10 last year.

"I was involved with the KMM since 1998 and I had received military training when I was with the Afghan Mujahidins. I went to Pakistan in 1992 and returned in 1997.

"However, we never had any plans to attack the government," Abdullah stated after telling the inquiry that he had received military training in Afghanistan.

Not security threat

Another KMM suspect, 33-year-old Mohd Zukifli Mohamad Zakarias also said they never had any intention of threatening the security of Malaysia.

The witnesses also included several members of the banned silat (martial arts) cult al-Ma'unah who are in their second year of detention.

"I was detained in early July 2000. I was detained at the al-Ma'unah office in Klang but I deny the accusation that I had wanted to overthrow the government. We practised self-defence but did not take up arms," said 31-year-old technician Ramli Abdullah.

"I was also slapped five times by police officers during the interrogation," he added.

Another member of the cult, Sahak Tahib said that he was detained because he was in Bukit Jenalik in Sauk, Perak, just before the shoot-out between the army and the al-Ma'unah group in 2000.

"I arrived in Sauk on Friday and left Sunday evening just before the shoot-out occurred," the 43-year-old accounts executive from Klang said.

Another detainee called to testify was 44-year-old factory worker Tan Hock Lee. He was arrested on Jan 13, 2001 in Butterworth for forging RM1 coins.

"I did not eat for 15 days because of the terror I went through when I was placed in solitary confinement," Tan said.

Asked how long he was in solitary confinement, he said he could not remember.

"I did not know day or night," he said. When asked by commissioner Asiah why he was so afraid, he could not answer.

Prefers Kamunting life

Irhas Manaf, a detainee of Acehnese descent, who was arrested on June 18, 2001 told the commission that he preferred his life in Kamunting now than outside the prison walls.

"I am afraid that I will be kidnapped by Indonesian agents," said the 41-year-old who added that he was detained for his activities relating to the struggle for Aceh's independence.

Irhas appealed to the commission to help send him to a third country or be allowed to stay in Malaysia.

Among the luminaries present during the inquiry were wives of ISA detainees Saari Sungib and Dr Badrulamin Bahron, former ISA detainee and FreeAnwar.com webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin and DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

More than 40 people were present at the inquiry which will continue tomorrow at 9.30am.