The younger brother of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Badaruddin Ismail received a letter from the police asking him to give a statement over a police report lodged against him last week.

Azman Ismail told malaysiakini today he received the letter on Tuesday and it said the police report lodged against him was in regard to criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code.

He said he believed that a high-ranking police officer whom he had been dealing with since Badaruddin's arrest, had lodged the report.

"I have been trying to pressure this police officer for the whereabouts and condition of my brother. I have tried contacting the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters to locate this officer but it seems like he is avoiding me," he said.

"Now, I have been told by my lawyer friends that this officer has spread word that I threatened his safety," said Azman.

When contacted by malaysiakini , Dang Wangi OCPD Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin confirmed that a report had been lodged but declined to elaborate.

Section 506 of the Penal Code carries a maximum sentence of up to seven years in jail or a fine or both upon conviction.

Azman said he thought it would be unlikely that the police will detain him although he has been vocal in criticising the ISA in recent weeks.

"If police arrest me, it will be a big embarrassment for them. It is true that I have been very vocal against the ISA, but they cannot simply detain me for that," he said.

Yet to reply

On the day of his brother's arrest, Azman, whose late father was a policeman, claimed that the police force was "incompetent and impotent" and was being used as a tool by their "political masters".

The 42-year-old brother of the ISA detainee has taken part in many of the current anti-ISA campaigns and also spoke on the abuse of the Act. He was also present at the launch of a hunger strike in support of the 10 ISA detainees yesterday.

Azman said he has yet to reply to the police request for his statement saying that "I have not been informed of the allegations against me".

"I will write to them and ask for a copy of the police report because I need to know who lodged it and what was the reason for doing so.

"I will request for information on my brother's detention including who ordered the arrest and the police officers involved. I will also ask for my brother's immediate release," said Azman.

Badaruddin, popularly known as Pak Din, a human rights activist, was arrested by police under the ISA on April 26. To date, 10 reformasi leaders have been detained under the Act. Police have not allowed Badaruddin's family to visit him.

Last Friday, Habeas corpus applications on behalf of Badaruddin and detained Keadilan leaders Dr Badrul Amin Baharom and Lokman Noor Adam, were filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The hearing date has yet to be fixed.