April 18, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysian police said Monday they had seized six grenades from a hotel in the capital and were investigating for possible links to terror groups.
The grenades were found in a budget hotel room in the Brickfields area, following a police raid last Wednesday, city police chief Zulkifli Abdullah told AFP.
"Police carried out the raid on Wednesday and we are investigating to find out more details on the grenades, its owners and links," he said, without giving further details.
State media reported police were investigating if the explosives were linked to regional militant groups but the head of the country's anti-terror task force said initial reports showed they were unlikely to be used by terror groups.
A string of arrests and detentions last year have highlighted the growing presence of radicals using Malaysia as a base to recruit supporters and plan attacks.
Malaysia's universities have also become prime recruiting grounds for Islamic militants, security experts have warned.
Unlike neighbouring Indonesia and Thailand, the moderate Muslim-majority nation has remained largely free of terror attacks but there are fears that lax policies could create a haven for jihadists.
