KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — The police are investigating various angles to determine the motive behind an Israeli man entering Malaysia, including claims that he is a spy.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain also did not deny the possibility the suspect, known as Shalom Avitan, acted as a coordinator or an armourer,
As such, a detailed investigation is vital to determine the real reasons behind his possession of six pistols.
“What we can currently see is a foreigner entering Malaysia and how he could obtain weapons in a matter of a few days of being here. We must know for national security and public order.
“I see (the impact of having) six firearms. That is why I said that the investigation must be comprehensive. If (perhaps) there is an intention to create chaos, if he was not arrested, during Hari Raya he (causes) havoc, would we not all be disturbed?” he said during a special press conference at Bukit Aman today.
The investigations revealed the six pistols were obtained from Thailand and purchased for RM10,000 each.
Razarudin said the six firearms seized included a Sig Sauer, a Smith & Wesson, a Glock, and 200 bullets.
“The firearms were taken from Thailand… so I have to admit there arere weaknesses there (in the border area) that allowed the firearms to be brought into the country,” he said.
Razarudin added the police will boost controls at the border, especially in areas under the General Operations Force (GOF), to avoid leakages and smuggling of contraband.
The suspect entered the country using a valid French passport, so he was not stopped.
“The man’s address in the passport was in (Israel) and when he entered the country using the French passport, we did not object as we assumed the individual was of the same nationality as his passport,” he said.
On the relationships between the suspect and the local married couple, 42 and 40, arrested at their residence in Kuala Selangor, the IGP said they did not know each other, but declined to comment on how the suspect interacted with them and how the firearms were handed over.
The police are looking for at least two more individuals, including a foreigner who assisted in the procurement of the firearms.
The Israeli is being remanded until Sunday (April 7) to facilitate investigations under Section 12 of the Passport Act 1966 and Section 7 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 191, while the married couple have been remanded until Friday (April 5).
— Bernama
