Report: 4 Kiram followers linked to Malaysian cops' killing arrested

At least four followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III who were linked to the killing of two Malaysian policemen in an encounter last March 2 in Sabah were arrested Sunday, a Malaysian news site reported on Monday.

 

But the report on New Straits Times said the sultan's brother, Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, appeared to give the security forces the slip anew in Sunday's operation.

 

The New Straits Times report said Malaysian security forces arrested in Semporna four men linked to the March 2 incident in Simunul.

 

It said the four were among the 33 suspected "sympathizers" of Kiram's group who were arrested Sunday.

 

During Sunday's operations, two General Operations Force personnel were wounded while a teenager was killed and another man wounded.

 

Kiram brod slips past dragnet

 

But the New Straits Times report said the sultan's brother slipped through the dragnet in Kampung Pinggir Bakau.

 

It said the security forces received information Azzimudie was hiding in the area.

 

A separate New Straits Times report quoted a source who said Kampung Pinggir Bakau was "known as a haven for illegal immigrants from southern Philippines and served as a perfect hideout for Kiram and his men."

 

Meanwhile, the New Straits Times said police on Saturday found an axe that may have been used to mutilate one of the slain policemen. — RSJ, GMA News