The Malaysian Insight

FREED jihadist Yazid Sufaat has spent his days since his release last month gardening, going to the mosque and reading the Quran.

Wearing an electronic monitoring device (EMD) and always under police observation, he probably couldn’t be safer.

Yet his wife, Chomel Muhamad, fears for the former al-Qaeda operative’s safety. 

“I don’t mind police watching us and keeping an eye on him. But I am more worried that foreign spies are watching and will target him.

“Because of that, I always ensure that I or another family member is with him when he goes out,” she told The Malaysian Insight at her restaurant in Kg Attap.

Yazid, 55, has spent more than a decade behind bars for different terrorism-related activities, but was never tried for any of them. 

Chomel’s fear for her husband’s life is based on the allegation that Yazid was involved in planning the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001.

He met al-Qaeda members when he joined militant groups in Afghanistan in the 1990s. It is alleged that he had opened his home to them for meetings to plan the attacks that precipitated the US war on terror.

In 2000, he was allegedly part of a foiled plot to bomb buildings in Singapore.

Chomel, 55, insists that spending years behind bars did not make her husband guilty of anything because nothing was ever proven in court.

His first prison stint behind bars was eight years under the now-repealed Internal Security Act (ISA), in December 2001.

Johor-born Yazid was arrested and jailed for another four years in 2013 in Tapah jail, Perak, for allegedly recruiting members for the Islamic State. 

The charge, however, was withdrawn by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Yazid’s lawyers said, and changed to withholding information from the authorities. Yazid pleaded guilty to those charges and did jail time.

Soon after that sentence, he was arrested again in 2017 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) for recruiting prison mates for al-Qaeda. His lawyers said these suspicions were “vague” but Yazid remained in prison as Pota allows for detention without trial or judicial review for up to two years.

This two-year detention ended when he was released from the Simpang Renggam jail on November 20.

Chomel said Yazid has obeyed all the conditions imposed on him at his release.

He wears an EMD around one ankle and can’t leave Ampang, Selangor, where his home is, without police permission.

He will have to wear the EMD for two years, must stay in his house between 8pm and 6am, and must not access the internet. 

“He is observed 24 hours a day through the EMD and by policemen.

“He doesn’t complain about anything. The freedom to move about and be with his family is more precious.”

Chomel declined when The Malaysian Insight asked to speak to Yazid.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. He can’t talk to the media, actually. I even restrict the number of visitors. I don’t want to draw attention.”

She is mulling opening a restaurant and catering business closer to Ampang so that Yazid has something to involve himself in.

“It will depend on whether he’s interested.”

While in prison, counter-terrorism police described Yazid to the press as one of the most difficult militants to rehabilitate.

But as far as Chomel is concerned, nothing brought against Yazid has been proven.

For now, it is time to bond with their four children, especially the youngest, who is 20.

“I’ve told the children, now is the time to ask and get information directly from your father. Don’t get it from the media, most of it is hearsay,” Chomel said. – December 8, 2019.