A police counter-terrorism expert today testified at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that the Tandzim al-Qaeda Malaysia considers the Parliament as a berhala (idol) and setting-up an Islamic state cannot be done through elections but by arms.

Assistant Superintendent Mohd Raby Abu Bakar, who is a major in the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the police force under E8, said the Tanzim al-Qaeda Malaysia is an extension of the al-Qaeda which was formed in the Arab countries.

“Their mission is towards setting up an Islamic state, where they felt that it could not be done through elections but through Perang Kital (killing war). They would send the Malaysian recruits to receive overseas training and upon their return, they will be part of the people who are out to cause trouble.

“They consider the Parliament as a berhala (idol) and do not believe in democratic ways. In the police’s findings Yazid Sufaat ( photo ) is the leader of the Tandzim al-Qaeda Malaysia and there are four terrorist cells,” he said in replying to questions from DPP Shukor Abu Bakar.

Recruiting new members

Mohd Raby, 55, listed the terrorist cells, which are responsible for recruiting new members, as operating at Yazid’s house in Ampang, and also in Sungai Buloh in Selangor, Trolak in Perak and through Facebook.

The witness said the recruitment of the members is done while holding usrah (religious discussions) at these places.

The police officer, who has been in the force for 35 years, was the seventh prosecution witness to testify in the trial of Yazid and Muhammad Hilmi Hasim under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 for alleged terrorism activities.

The two are charged with being members of Tanzim al-Qaeda Malaysia with the intention to recruit more people to join the group to attack civilians in Syria.

Mohd Raby, who had undergone training in Egypt, United States, United Kingdom and Australia in counter-terrorism, told the court that Razif Mohd Ariff ( photo ), 34, was required to recruit members who frequently attend a Sungai Buloh mosque, while Muhamad Razin Sharhan Mustafa Kamal ( photo ), 25, was required to attract members from Felda Trolak college.

“Meanwhile, Halimah Hussin, 52, (who is still at large) is tasked with recruiting members from Facebook and Yazid from his Ampang home,” he said.

Razif and Razin are presently held in Lebanon, for allegedly being trained to become suicide bombers. Razif's father had testified at the last session denying having heard of Tandzim al-Qaeda.

Mohd Raby said Tandzim al-Qaeda is part of the notorious al-Qaeda network with a  mission for an arms struggle to form an Islamic state.

9/11 and Afghanistan

He added that the police knew that Yazid had fought with the Mujahidin in Afghanistan against the Soviet invaders and it is through this link that the police believe that he had the connection to the second echelon of the al-Qaeda leadership.

The witness said that according to the US State of Department report on 9/11 incident, four of the airplane hijackers, Khalid al-Midhar, Nawab al-Hamzi, Ramzi Syeikh and Salah Said, had previously stayed at Yazid's Sungai Long home.

“This was in January 2000 when they came to Malaysia, where on Jan 5, they met with Jemaah Islamiah Malaysia leader, Hambali or Ridhuan Hishamuddin, near Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

However, lawyer New Sin Yew for Yazid, objected to the line of questioning and the relevancy of such evidence.

Justice Mohd Azman Husin noted the objection but did not make any ruling.

Mohd Raby also told the court about one of Yazid's recruit, identified as Muhd Fikri Mohd Noor, who went to Sabah and slipped into Southern Philippines.

He said Fikri was killed by the Philippine police in December 2012.

The witness further revealed the names of Yazid and Hilmi's recruits based on the police interrogation.

Some of them are considered as protected witnesses who will testify in the trial as the prosecution's secret witnesses .

The hearing continues tomorrow.