Alleged top leaders of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI), Indonesian clerics Abu Bakar Bashir and Riduan Isamuddin alias Hambali, who used to stay in Malaysia for several years, are said to be the followers of the Islamic sect, Wahabi.

This could explain why their decade-long presence in Sungai Manggis, Banting, a one-and-half-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, was not known to most of the locals.

(Wahabi is the puritanical Saudi Islamic sect founded by Muhammad ibn-Abd-al-Wahab, which regards all other sects as heretical. It had spread throughout the Arabian peninsula by the early 20th century and still remains the official ideology of the Saudi Arabian kingdom.)

According to retired mosque official Mohd Yusof Palil, their presence in Sungai Manggis were hardly known to the locals, except to their few followers and some 'outsiders', as they hardly mixed around.

"All their religious activities were carried out at the rented house-cum-surau and not at the mosque here," said Mohd Yusof, a former committee member with the Ar-Rahman mosque in the village.

"Later, we learnt that they are the followers of the Wahabi sect, while the villagers (like majority of Malaysian Muslims) are the follower of the Sunnah wal Jamaah," he said when interviewed at his house on Thursday.

'Abu Bakar friendlier'

Born and bred in Sungai Manggis, home for about 2,000 people, mostly Malays with Javanese descendants, Mohd Yusof said the villagers are a close-knit community and know each other well, save those who are renting houses there.

"Perhaps as Wahabi followers, the way they carried out their rituals is a bit different from us and that's why they prefer to be among their group," said Mohd Yusof, 67, a member of the village security and development committee (JKKK).

Between the two alleged JI leaders, Mohd Yusof said Abu Bakar was friendlier to the locals.

"For instance, he would greet me with salam (a greeting) whenever we bumped into each other, such as at the sundry store or bus-stop," he recalled.

"In fact, Abu Bakar even came to my house when he first arrived here to familiarise himself with the locals," added Mohd Yusof.

"Certainly, I had no idea who he was, and being a villager, I do not even have any suspicions of him," he said.

He described Abu Bakar as always dressed in baju Melayu (Malay traditional dress) and white skullcap, toting a briefcase.

"His appearance was exactly like what I saw on television recently thin, spectacled, bearded.

"Nobody know what he was doing here, though he was always seen waiting for the express bus (to Kuala Lumpur)," Mohd Yusof added.

He said Abu Bakar only attended Friday prayers at the mosque, about 500m from his rented house.

'Not aware of military activities'

Whereas Abu Bakar has been detained by Indonesian government, Hambali is still at large, his whereabouts unknown.

"We were sure that he was here with Abu Bakar, but he hardly appeared in public, let alone being seen at the mosque for Friday prayers," said Mohd Yusof, whose house is just opposite the alleged JI leaders' former rented house.

He also said the villagers had no idea what they did to earn their living beyond carrying out religious activities among their group members.

Asked whether he was aware of 'military-style training activities' carried out by the group as claimed by the foreign media, Mohd Yusof said the villagers would have certainly been aware of them if they happened.

"As far as we are concerned, they were there to carry out religious activities among themselves," he clarified.

Left after JI crackdown

Mohd Yusof said that religious teacher Mohd Iqbal Abdul Rahman detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in June last year was also the duo's follower.

Mohd Iqbal's house is about 1km away from Abu Bakar and Hambali's rented house.

"Several locals were close to them, but after the police came and arrested them (during the crackdown of Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia or KMM), Abu Bakar and Hambali disappeared," he added.

The KMM has been linked to Jemaah Islamiah (JI) which allegedly aims to set up a regional pan-Islamic state and has been accused by western governments of involvement in the Oct 12 Bali bombing.

Another Indonesian suspected of masterminding the Bali bombing is also believed to have lived in Malaysia five years ago as a religious teacher.

Imam Samudra was based in Johor and is believed to have a Malaysian wife.

According to Indonesian police, Samudra has confessed to ordering the Bali blasts last month as part of a holy war to avenge injustice against Muslims.