The military received a call threatening that Kuala Lumpur would be destroyed along with all its places of vice from a person claiming to be from the Khalifah Mujahidin Malaysia, the High Court heard this morning.

Lef Mohd Nizam Hussin, who is officer in charge in the Grik army camp, told the court in the Al-Ma'unah "treason" trial that he received a call from an unidentified person through the army communication radio at 4.58pm on July 3, the day after the arms store in his post was raided.

"If the military wants the weapons back, it should fulfil the demands of the caller," said Mohd Nizam as he read out the transcript of the conversation.

He added that the caller gave him the address of a website for more information about Khalifah Mujahidin.

According to Mohd Nizam, the caller said that if the demands were not fulfilled, the group would "destroy Kuala Lumpur and all places of vice in the city".

"They said they had already surrounded KL with 850 people and would attack the city soon," he added.

The unidentified caller also said that Khalifah Mujahidin had another 1,300 members stationed in Bentong, about 70km from Kuala Lumpur.

Mohd Nizam said that the group demanded the commanding officer to either meet them in Bentong or contact them through the army radio communication using the same frequency channel at 11pm that night.

The caller added that his group did not want the military to be involved and that they are merely seeking to set up an Islamic state according to the Koran.

"Kami hanya mahu pulun anggota polis dan PM (We only want to 'hit' at the police and the Prime Minister)," Mohd Nizam quoted the caller as saying.

Mohd Nizam was giving evidence in the case where 29 members of the Al-Ma'unah group are accused under section 121 of the Penal Code for waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries the punishment of death or life sentence, or a fine, if found guilty of waging war or abetting to wage war in the country.

They are alleged to have committed the offence between June and July 6 at Pos 2, Km 19, Kuala Rui, Jalanraya Timur-Barat, Grik; Batalion 304, Infantri (AW), Kem Grik, Grik; and in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, all in Perak ([#1]Twenty-nine Al-Ma'unah members claim trial[/#], Aug 9).

They are alleged to have stolen a cache of weapons and ammunition from two military camps by impersonating army officers in the early hours of July 2.

Appeal goes to Federal Court

Meanwhile, Karpal Singh, the defence counsel for Al Ma'unah leader Mohd Amin Mohamed Razali, has filed an application to the Federal Court for a stay of proceedings in the trial pending appeal.

Last Tuesday, justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin ruled that the "emergency" regulation used in prosecuting the 29 Al-Ma'unah members for "treason" is valid ([#2]High Court rules Escar valid in Al-Ma'unah trial[/#], Oct 3).

He said that under the 1975 Essential Security Cases (Amendment) Regulations (Escar), defendants do have a right of appeal to the Federal Court as the Supreme Court is equivalent to the Federal Court.

Karpal had earlier submitted that Escar was invalid because, among others, it gives a right of appeal only to the Supreme Court, which does not exist now.

The hearing continues this afternoon.