Four arrested in Malaysia suspected of plotting Ramadan attacks

Malaysian police have detained four men suspected of plotting a wave of killings and attacks in and around the capital during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, police said on Monday. 

Malaysian police have detained four men suspected of plotting a wave of killings and attacks in and around the capital during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, police said on Monday. 

The Southeast Asian nation has been on high alert since gunmen allied with ISIS carried out a series of attacks in Jakarta, the capital of neighboring Indonesia, in January 2016. 

The four suspects are two from Myanmar, an Indonesian and a Malaysian, Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters. 

Dubbed the “wolf pack” cell, he said its members had planned to launch large-scale attacks during the first week of Ramadan to avenge a Muslim fireman who was allegedly beaten to death during a racially charged riot at a Hindu temple in November. 

“This cell had also planned an operation to assassinate high-profile personalities accused of insulting and failing to uphold Islam,” Abdul Hamid said in a video recording of a press conference seen by Reuters. 

He declined to identify the targets of the planned killings.