The Malaysian police have arrested 12 men in a counter-terrorism operation, foiling an Isis-inspired terror attack on several locations in the capital ahead of ASEAN summit.
An Associated Press report citing Malaysian National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar stated that the arrested male are Malaysians between ages 17 and 41. Bakar said that the arrested Isis sympathisers admittedly were responding to a call by the Islamic State to target installations in secular countries.
The 12 Isis supporters were arrested in a raid from western suburb of the capital Kuala Lumpur on Saturday and Sunday.
Police also recovered a huge cache of bomb-making materials such as 20 kg of ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate powder besides kerosene and wires.
A Channel News Asia report noted that arrested Isis men were planning an attack "strategic targets and governmental interests around the Klang Valley".
Security has been heightened in Kuala Lumpur as leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began their summit, which officially opens on Monday.
Leaders from 10 countries are expected to participate in the 26th ASEAN Summit. Uniting to fight against terrorism is among the top agendas of the summit.
