A Hindu group will lodge a police report today on Zakir Naik after India’s latest revelation that it had uncovered plans for terror attacks on its soil by a Malaysia-based group with links to the preacher.
The Hindu Agamam Ani Malaysia Association said that the report will be lodged to urge the authorities to investigate Zakir, who is wanted in India, and also to request his deportation.
“What was revealed by India is a damning allegation.
“We will be making a police report today requesting the police to act on the lead from India and also to ask the authorities to extradite him,” Agamam Ani adviser Arun Dorasamy told The Malaysian Insight.
Yesterday, Times of India reported the uncovering of a well-advanced plan for terror attacks on its soil plotted by a Rohingya group based in Malaysia that has links with Zakir.
The links involved financial transactions to the Muslim preacher that were intercepted by Indian intelligence. Also found were plans in the late stages of a coordinated terror strike on an Indian city in the next few weeks, the Indian daily reported.
The states of Ayodhya, Bodhgaya, Punjab and Srinagar were listed as likely targets.
In response to the report, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said Malaysian police have so far not received any official report on the preacher allegedly planning a terror attack in India.
He said the police welcomed sharing of information on the matter and were always monitoring any development involving terrorists.
Arun said that instead of waiting for an official report from New Delhi on the matter, the IGP should be proactive and start an immediate investigation on the preacher.
He said the IGP should pre-emptively work on the lead given by India to either accept or quash the allegations.
“There is no reason for Malaysia to harbour and protect an individual who is not even a citizen of Malaysia.
“We don’t want to be a victim of any terrorist attack, and we do not want to be a hub for terrorists nor harbour any terrorist in Malaysia.
“The IGP would need to give that confidence to all Malaysians.”
Despite millions of followers around the world, including in Malaysia, Zakir’s preaching has often been accused of bordering on hate speech and insulting other religions, which he denies.
One of the terrorists involved in the 2016 Dhaka cafe attack has said that he was inspired by Zakir’s speech, resulting in the Bangladesh government banning his Peace TV network.
The preacher is also alleged to have inspired the mastermind of the Sri Lanka Easter blasts last year that killed more than 250 people. Sri Lanka, too, has banned telecasts by Peace TV.
In addition to links to terrorism, India had charged Zakir with money-laundering activities surrounding his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) involving assets worth RM113 million.
Brushing aside an official request from New Delhi to extradite Zakir, the Pakatan Harapan government had previously insisted that the preacher will not be sent back unless he breaks any local laws.
The current government of Muhyiddin Yassin has not mentioned anything on Zakir, despite an earlier call by the Hindu group to deport the fugitive preacher to India to face criminal charges.
Zakir, who was granted permanent residency in Malaysia during Barisan Nasional’s rule, is also said to possess Saudi Arabian citizenship. – TMI