Televised confessions by four Malaysians allegedly involved in the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network show the Malaysian government's harsh actions against militants were justified, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Najib, who is also defence minister, said the government's move to detain dozens of alleged JI members had helped to curb the security threat posed by the group, which is accused of a series attacks including the 2002 Bali bombing which killed 202 people.

"The JI machinery in the country is almost crippled because we have taken stern action, detaining many of their members," Najib was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency. Malaysia is holding around 80 terror suspects under the harsh Internal Security Act (ISA).

Najib was commenting on a programme entitled "Confessions of JI Members" aired Friday night by private television station TV3 which featured four alleged Malaysian militants under arrest in Indonesia.

The four - Mohamed Nasir, Amran Mansor, 39, Jaafar Anwarul, 53, and Shamsul Bahri Hussein, 37 - all confessed to their involvement with JI and revealed details of JI operations and bombings.

Ordered by Osama

Opponents of the ISA, which allows for detention without trial, have long urged the government to scrap the legislation, which the government maintains is needed as a first line of defence against terrorism.

"In the fight against such militant groups, we must always be wary because they can regroup in smaller units," Najib said.

"But so far the situation in the country is under control."

In the television programme, Mohamed Nasir confirmed links between JI and Osama bin Laden by alleging that members carried out bombings in accordance with a 'fatwa' or religious edict issued by Bin Laden.

Bin Laden's call on Muslims to kill Americans was passed on to members by two of JI's leaders, Hambali and Abu Bakar Bashir, Mohamed Nasir said.

Hambali is now in US custody after being arrested in Thailand last year, while Abu Bakar Bashir is to be released from a Jakarta prison on April 30 after Indonesia's supreme court halved a three-year sentence for immigration offences and document forgery.

The four interviewees said they were remorseful and now rejected the network and its teachings as they went against Islam. - AFP