(AFP) The detention without trial of alleged Islamic militants is not related to the US-led war against terrorism or a move to crack down on dissent, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said late yesterday.

The government earlier this month arrested six alleged Islamic militants under a feared security law allowing detention without trial, following nine other arrests in August.

The detainees, many of whom were members of PAS were accused of belonging to a shadowy Islamic militant group which allegedly planned to topple the government.

Opposition groups have expressed concern that the government may be using the US-led war against terror as a pretext to stifle opposition to Mahathir's 20-year rule.

"We have detained these people even before September 11, so it is not related to 11 September," Mahathir told a press conference in Shanghai at the end of an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders' summit.

"Nobody likes to have extremists in their own country and this particular lot have been trained in Afghanistan, by Taliban and by Osama bin Laden with the intention of overthrowing our government by force of arms."

'Have majority'

Asked if the arrests were aimed at consolidating his power amid dwindling support for his ruling party, he said: "I don't have to bother about people not supporting me.

"I have three-fourth majority in parliament and that will stay until the next election. So I don't have to do anything funny in order to get people to support me."

The premier said he was "reasonably certain" that the government's actions had curbed the terrorist movement in the country.

On PAS' call for a "jihad" or holy war in reaction to the US-led strikes on Afghanistan and for volunteers to go to Afghanistan to take up arms on behalf of the Taliban, he said he doubted anyone would go.

"We have asked... that the (PAS) leaders themselves should volunteer first and then let the others follow," he added.

Among those detained under the Internal Security Act which allows indefinite detention without trial was alleged terrorist ringleader Nik Adli Nik Aziz, son of influential PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.