RECAPTURE OF MAS SELAMAT: Explain how he fled S'pore

May 27, 2009

RECAPTURE OF MAS SELAMAT

Explain how he fled S'pore

By Derrick Ho
		Mr Christopher de Souza (left) commended the Home Team and the Internal Security Department for playing an active role in recapturing Mas Selamat after he had been on the run for over a year. --ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

A MEMBER of Parliament has requested Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng to explain how terrorist kingpin Mas Selamat Kastari escaped to Malaysia and if he was helped by sympathisers.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher de Souza, speaking in Parliament on Wednesday during the debate on President S R Nathan's address, said: 'The question on the top of many Singaporean minds is how he managed to cross out border with Malaysia?

RELATED LINKS Christopher de Souza's Speech

''Consequently, Singaporeans are concerned about the fact that he may have had sympathisers in Singapore who helped him travel to Malaysia. When the time is appropriate, I hope the Minister for Home Affairs will answer the questions on the minds of many Singaporeans.'

Added Mr de Souza: 'Now that he has been re-captured, how should we deal with him going forward? What measures do we have in place to prevent a repeat of such an incident?"

The leader of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiaah terror network escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre on Feb 27 last year,sparking off one of the largest manhunts in the region, involving Interpol.

He is believed to have swum across the Johor Strait under the cover of darkness, using an improvised flotation device.

The 48-year-old militant was recaptured by Malaysian intelligence officers on April 1 in Skudai, a small town in Johor Baru.

Mr de Souza commended the Home Team and the Internal Security Department for playing an active role in recapturing Mas Selamat after he had been on the run for over a year.

'Its resilience has paid of - to me. ISD's perseverance in tracking down Mas Selamat displayed true tenacity. They overcame adversity,' added the MP.

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