Cops nab Israeli man suspected of being a spy, seize 6 guns, 200 bullets
By Luqman Hakim
March 29, 2024 @ 7:14pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The police have detained an Israeli national, suspected of being a spy.
The 36-year-old man, who was arrested at a hotel in Ampang, was in possession of six guns and 200 bullets.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the man entered the country via KLIA on March 12, using what is believed to be a fake French passport.
He said the foreigner arrived in Malaysia from KLIA on March 12.
"When the suspect was questioned, he gave another passport which is an Israeli passport.
"He had already stayed in two or three hotels before the last one (in Ampang)," he said in a press conference in Masjid Al Amin, here.
Razarudin said the suspect claims he came to Malaysia to kill another Israeli person because of a family dispute.
"(However) we do not fully believe the suspect's telltale because there could be other agenda," he said, adding police were not ruling out the possibility that the man could be a spy.
Razarudin said the police are now on high alert about the public's safety and those of the country's leaders including Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who have been vocal on the plight of Palestinians.
On the weapons seized from the suspect, Razarudin said the man ordered the weapons upon arriving in KL and paid for them using cryptocurrency.
He said police were probing how the weapons, which included Glocks and Smith and Wesson handguns, were smuggled into the country.
"Of course, it is impossible to bring the weapons on the flight because he flew from the United Arab Emirates to Malaysia.
"We believe he is not moving alone and has contacts here," Razarudin said, adding police were now identifying the man's contacts in Malaysia.
The man is being investigated under Section 12 of the Passports Act for contravening the conditions of a passport and Section 7 of the Firearms Act for unauthorised possession of firearms.
The police have detained an Israeli national located in a hotel somewhere in Ampang.