The hunt for self-proclaimed spiritual leader Ariffin Muhammad and his four wives has spilt over from Terengganu into the adjacent states of Pahang and Kelantan as well as Johor and Perak.

Police believe 65-year-old Ariffin, popularly known as Ayah Pin, is holed up in the forested hills behind Kampung Batu 13 near Jerteh in Hulu Besut, Terengganu.

Kelantan police are on full alert to catch the elusive leader of the 'Sky Kingdom', who espouses the universality of religion, who has twice evaded arrest by Terengganu religious authorities so far.

Contacted today, Kelantan police chief Zuber Shariff said police are ready to nab Ayah Pin if he ventures into the state.

"We have not heard anything about him (being here) but we are alert. The moment we know that he is in the state, we will arrest him. It is a matter of time before the police catch up with him," he said.

Perak police chief Zainal Mohd Tahir, when contacted, said police are keeping their ear to the ground.

"So far, we have no information of Ayah Pin being in Perak but we're keeping our ears open. If we hear anything and there is a need to act, we'll do the necessary," he said.

Fine for photos

Further south, police last week started nosing around Orang Asli settlements near the Endau-Rompin national park along the Pahang-Johor border.

Teo Kim Swee, a grocer in Kahang town, said his Orang Asli father-in-law told him about police personnel inspecting several settlements last week.

"He told me that the police were asking if they knew Ayah Pin and why the Orang Asli had his photos in their homes," he said when contacted today.

"They were also told that a RM2,000 fine will be imposed if these photos are found in their possession."

However, he said the personnel from Mersing in Kluang and from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters did not remove Ayah Pin's photos found in some of the houses.

"Maybe they were scared to touch the photos because these were placed at altars, complete with joss-sticks and all," he added.

"Anyway, this is what my father-in-law said. In fact, he had also asked about the fine for hanging photos of Ayah Pin but the police said it was part of regular monitoring."

Pahang and Johor police could not be contacted for comment today.

At dawn last Monday, a group of 50 men in flowing white garb and white turban-like headgear attacked the Sky Kingdom commune that sits on a two-hectare land belonging to Ayah Pin's first wife Che Minah Remeli.

Two days later, a Terengganu Islamic Affairs Department (JHEAT) raid party emptied the village of about 60 adult inhabitants, leaving behind about 20-30 young children.

A total of 28 men and 30 women were taken to the Besut district police headquarters in a JHEAT bus and van. Ten were released the following day including six children aged below 18, three on bail and a New Zealander who denied being a Muslim.

Since then, JHEAT has been on the trail of Ayah Pin, Che Minah, 58, and his three other wives Zaharah Awang, 45, Ruzilan Mokhtar, 41, and Nik Kamariah Nik Pah, 33.

Contacted yesterday, Besut district JHEAT chief Azam Awi said 24 men and 24 women have been remanded at the Besut and Jerteh police lock-ups until their case is heard at the syariah court on Thursday.

They have been charged under Section 10 of the Terengganu Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Takzir) 2001 for violating a 1997 religious edict declaring the teachings of Ayah Pin as deviant.

He said a woman who admitted to having renounced Islam will face a charge of insulting the religion.

From this group, about 10 are believed to be facing charges under Section 10 following a July 2 bust by JHEAT. In that raid, 21 people were detained and later released on bail. Their case is set for hearing on Aug 23.

Foreign media rapped

Followers of Ayah Pin's philosophy include the Orang Asli from Gua Musang, Kelantan and Endau-Rompin along the Pahang-Johor border as well as professionals from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Yesterday, a Malay-language newspaper quoted JHEAT commissioner Shaikh Harun Ismail as challenging Ayah Pin to keep his word about not fleeing the authorities as he had reportedly said following the July 2 raid.

Utusan Malaysia quoted him as saying that Ayah Pin should maintain his reputation and dignity in the eyes of his followers by surrendering to the authorities, and promised that the law would be upheld.

Early this month, Ayah Pin reportedly challenged the anticipated use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) against him, saying he was confident that he has done nothing wrong.

The daily also quoted Shaikh Harun as giving an assurance of legal protection and that he would be charged for offences similar to those faced by his followers.

Yesterday, Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar reportedly lashed out at the foreign media for allegedly attempting to tarnish the image of Islam by exploiting the issue.

According to a report by national news agency Bernama , he said foreign media reports and photos allegedly depicted Muslims as going against the teachings of Islam.

He reiterated earlier statements that the government would not use the ISA against the 'Sky Kingdom' group as it was not considered a threat to national security.

Terengganu police chief Hussin Ismail, when met in Kuala Terengganu last Thursday, had warned vigilantes against taking matters into their own hands.