The families of 13 Internal Security Act detainees and the Abolish ISA Movement (AIM) today submitted a memorandum to the Home Ministry calling for the release of the detainees upon the expiry of their detention orders this month.

The memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also home minister, was received by the ministry's security and public safety section assistant secretary Mahadzir Mohd Noor in Putrajaya.

The detention orders for six detainees - Abdul Razak Baharudin, Abdul Samas Shukri Mohd, Ahmad Sajuli Abd Rahman, Ahmad Yani Ismail, Mohd Sha Sarijan, Suhaimi Mokhtar - expires on Feb 21.

While for the rest - Abdullah Daud, Mohammed Kadar, Mohammed Faiq Hafidh, Muhammad Ismail Anuwarul, Shahrial Sirin, Sharil Hat and Shukry Omar Talib - their detention orders expire on Feb 27.

The 13 were held during a dragnet on suspected terrorists in 2002. They were accused of being members of the regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah.

The detainees have denied the charge and eight of them filed habeas corpus applications last September. However, a date for the hearing has yet to be determined following several postponements.

'Cruel law'

"The AIM is disappointed of the continued cruel abuse of the ISA even though it has almost been 100 days since the new prime minister came to power," said the movement in the two-page memorandum.

AIM also stressed that the security law, which provides detention without trial, caused much distress to the families of those detained.

"We would like to point out that there is already a son of an ISA detainee who suffered mental problems due to the trauma of having his father in ISA," it added.

The movement also highlighted that there were cases of sexual harassment faced by wives of detainees and that their children were not attending school

"As prime minister and home minister, Abdullah has the power given by the people to take appropriate action to protect all levels of society fairly without victimising any party," stressed AIM.