Terrorism suspect held in Malaysia
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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — A terrorism suspect accused in an alleged plot to hijack a plane and crash it into Singapore’s airport and who escaped from jail there last year has been arrested in neighboring Malaysia, news reports said today.
Mas Selamat Kastari, suspected commander of the Singapore arm of the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah, escaped from jail Feb. 27, 2008, by wriggling out a window.
The search for him had largely focused on Singapore and Indonesia, where the Indonesian branch of Jemaah Islamiah was considered likely to shelter him. The group is accused of carrying out bombings in Bali in 2002.
However, Mas Selamat was arrested in Malaysia’s southern Johor state, in a joint operation by security agencies, Channel News Asia television said on its website. The report was not attributed to any source.
Malaysia’s Star newspaper also reported the arrest on its website, quoting the country’s inspector general of police, Musa Hassan.
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