KOTA KINABALU: A VAT69 commando group carrying out close reconnaisance at sector D in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu last March 1 rushed into the sector C area upon hearing a yell for assistance from their colleague in the other group.
Corporal Azman Ampong, 38, who was assigned to sector C, which was one of five sectors tasked with the surveillance operation, told the High Court yesterday that the sector D group responded to his call for assistance as he and his colleague Corporal Mohd Tarmizi Hashim fired back while under attack by armed intruders.
He was testifying as the fourth witness in the trial which convened at the Sabah Prisons Department here, of 30 individuals charged with carrying out terrorism-related activities in Sabah last year.
“When you said you saw the D group coming to your sector did you see DSP Abdul Rani Alias (D group chief)?” asked Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.
Azman: “Yes. He was leading his team. I saw one of DSP Abdul Rani’s men, Lance Corporal Qaiyum, fall. I then saw one of their members pick up Qaiyum’s weapon and started firing at the intruders. The others also started firing.”
Azman said the combined tenacity of the two groups matched the strength of the intruders’ assault.
He said in the 10am incident, some of the assailants fell as well, and were dragged away by the other members.
The witness also told the court that when Mohd Tarmizi was shot on the left arm after earlier being hit in the left thigh, he advised his colleague to pull back.
“I gave him covering fire while he retreated. Then I continued the barrage at the assailants,” he said.
In the course of the clash, the commandos also heard two explosions believed to be from a grenade launcher.
“When the explosions occurred I guess DSP Anwar feared for my safety and ordered me to fall back,” he said.
Twenty-two of the 30 accused including two Malaysians are being jointly tried on a charge of waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and being members of a terrorist group.
One of them faces two additional charges of recruiting members for a terrorist group and harbouring individuals believed to be members of a terrorist group.
Five of eight accused are charged with being members of a terrorist group, while another, a Malaysian woman is accused of harbouring individuals believed to be members of a terrorist group. Two others are charged with attempting to harbour individuals believed to be members of a terrorist group.
The offences were allegedly committed between Feb 12 and April 10 last year.
The trial heard before Justice Stephen Chung continues on Jan 27. — Bernama