Six men, including three underage individuals — suspected of involvement in violence‑oriented activities linked to the Islamic State (IS) group were arrested in a special operation by the Royal Malaysia Police’s Special Branch (PDRM) on 14 and 15 February.
Inspector‑General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the suspects, aged between 16 and 21, were detained during raids conducted across the Klang Valley, Kedah, Johor, and Terengganu. Investigations revealed that they had been involved in violent extremist activities and radical online ideology.
“Besides pledging allegiance, or bai’ah, to the IS leader, police investigations also uncovered plans by the suspects to carry out attacks on police stations, key government installations, and public facilities.
“The activities they were involved in included spreading radical ideology, recruitment, promoting propaganda materials, and planning attacks involving youths, teenagers, and even children,” he said during a press conference at Bukit Aman on Friday.
Roblox as part of their influence?
Mohd Khalid also revealed a concerning development, noting that the radicalisation process among the teenage suspects began through digital platforms, including online games popular among children, such as Roblox.
“The modus operandi of this radical mindset formation stems from a tendency to browse social media content related to wars and geopolitical conflicts in West Asia.”
“More alarmingly, online games, particularly Roblox, also became a medium that influenced the suspects towards radical ideologies,” he said.
Police also found that the suspects had created and joined pro‑IS chat groups on platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord. Searches conducted during the operation led to the seizure of several items containing IS‑related materials, including 11 mobile phones, two laptops, an external hard disk, four IS flags, a shirt bearing the IS logo, and three books with extremist content.
The arrests and seizures were carried out in accordance with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).
All suspects are being investigated under Chapter 6A of the Penal Code, which relates to terrorism offences, and may face multiple charges if sufficient evidence is established.
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