KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR\ASIA NEWS NETWORK)- Englishman Robert Andrew Scott, who claimed to have fought with militant groups in Bosnia, lured 12 women into marrying him.

Five of them were said to be Malaysians, Berita Harian reported.

Using the Muslim name Jamaluddin Mustafa, the 43-year-old, married women of several nationalities, including those from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Indonesia, France, Morocco, Germany and Britain.

He recently divorced two of his Malaysian wives.

Special Branch (Operations/Counter Terrorism division) assistant director-general Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said most of the women targeted by Scott were professionals such as bank officers and university lecturers.

He said reports suggested that he was once involved in a tariqat (missionary) movement in London and joined a mujahiddin (freedom fighters) group in Bosnia.

He was said to have been held for the murder of a doctor in Bosnia but his family successfully filed an application for his release.

Ayob Khan said while Scott had been involved in militant work in Bosnia, he had not shown such tendencies while in Malaysia.

"We are monitoring his marriages and what his real motives are," said Ayob Khan, relating incidents of Scott deserting his wives and taking their money.