(AFP) Police said yesterday they had arrested 13 Muslim militants allegedly linked to Zacarias Moussaoui, a Frenchman now on trial for his alleged role in the Sept 11 attacks on the United States.

Inspector General of Police Norian Mai said the 13 were rounded up in several states between Dec 9 and Jan 3.

"They were arrested because they are believed to be carrying out activities which are a threat to national security, including holding secret meetings for the setting up of the Daulah Islamiah (Islamic government)," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

"There are plans to form the Daulah Islamiah covering this country, Indonesia and southern Philippines, the majority of whose people are Muslims, according to their own perception."

The 13 militants, including bank officers, taxi drivers, businessmen and a school headmaster, were detained following the arrest last year of 25 members of the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM).

Police said the 13 were members of a new wing of KMM.

Directing figures

Three Indonesians were named as the "directing figures" of the new wing: Indonesian Mujahiddin Council chief Abu Bakar Bashir alias Abdus Samad; religious preachers Hambali alias Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin and Mohamad Iqbal.

Norian said Mohamad Iqbal was arrested June 30 last year and was being detained under the Internal Security Act for two years.

"We believe this wing do not know of each other's existence, and this may be a tactic by their leaders to continue with their struggle if one of them was arrested," he said.

He did not rule out the possibility of uncovering a third wing within the KMM, saying police had seized documents containing training schedules including theories on guerilla warfare, map-reading and use of firearms.

Members of the group conducted physical training such as going on cross-country runs by carrying bags weighing 10 to 20 pounds.

"We have also found documents on efforts to gather intelligence on weapons in store, science laboratories at institutions of higher learning and procedures used in protecting armouries," he said.

Norian said police were still investigating the extent of KMM's connection to Moussaoui who, according to the Immigration Department, was in the country Sept 4-15 and Oct 5 last year.

Unfounded allegation

He dismissed claims in a Singapore newspaper that if Malaysia had arrested two other terrorist suspects, Khalid Al Mirdha and Nawaf Al Azmi, when they were in Malaysia, the Sept 11 incident might not have happened.

"The allegation is unfounded because we have informed the United States of their presence as they have more interest in the two. To us, we have determined that the duo did not do anything which amounted to a threat to the country's security," he said.

Norian said Malaysia had been firm and consistent in tackling the issue of terrorists, and no militant groups were protected regardless of whether they were involved in terrorist activities within or outside the country.