Fugitive who escaped from Whitley detention centre last year is tracked down and captured in Johor after tip-off from Singapore; he is being held for interrogation by Malaysia
By
Leslie Lopez, Senior Regional Correspondent
Mas Selamat Kastari is snapped leaving the Tanjung Pinang police station under heavy guard by a special squad unit from Riau to the airport bound for Pekanbaru. -- ST FILE PHOTO
KUALA LUMPUR: Thirteen months after his audacious escape from detention in Singapore, Mas Selamat Kastari has been caught in Malaysia.
Singapore's most wanted terrorist was captured on April 1 while hiding in Johor, regional intelligence sources told The Straits Times.
Intelligence provided by Singapore's Internal Security Department late last year led to a joint operation between Malaysia and Singapore's security agencies that eventually saw them arresting Mas Selamat in Johor in April.
It was not the first time that information from Singapore helped to nab the escape artist.
It is believed that he was nabbed in the outskirts of Johor Baru and is now being held by the Malaysian authorities for interrogation.
It is not known how he slipped out of Singapore or when he entered Malaysia.
Although he was arrested six weeks ago, the Malaysian authorities have not yet announced the capture.
A senior Malaysian government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest and said that Mas Selamat was being held under the country's Internal Security Act.
He declined to say when the terrorist would be handed over to the Singapore authorities.
It is believed that the fugitive had stayed in Johor all this time and had not travelled further north. He is also believed to be detained in Johor.
Sources told The Straits Times that the 48-year-old was tracked down based on intelligence provided by Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD), and a joint operation by Malaysia and Singapore's security agencies eventually led to his arrest.
The capture of Mas Selamat brings to an end one of the largest manhunts ever undertaken by Singapore and its neighbours for a terrorist on the run.
Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
