KOTA KINABALU: A Bukit Aman Special Branch (SB) officer, who was responsible in conducting communication interception on targeted individuals, was not aware one of the targets for the interception was involved in negotiations between the police and the Sulu intruders at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February last year.
Testifying in the trial of 30 accused charged with various offences in connection with the intrusion, Supt Anuar Ahmad, 57, told the High Court here yesterday that on Feb 15 last year, the then Sabah SB deputy chief SAC Zulkifli Abd Aziz had provided him with five numbers belonging to one Datu Amir Bahar Hushin Kiram for a communication interception to be conducted as the individual was believed to be linked to the intrusion.
Cross examined by counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan, the witness said he did not know that Datu Amir Bahar, one of the accused in the trial, was assisting the police to persuade the armed intruders to leave Kampung Tanduo on the day he received the telephone numbers from Zulkifli.
“Do you agree with me that the (communication interception) transcripts showed Datu Amir Bahar was clearly against the action of Datu Agbimuddin Kiram (leader of the armed intruders in Kampung Tanduo) and his men which was why Datu Amir Bahar agreed to assist Zulkifli (in negotiations),” asked Sivananthan.
Anuar replied that he did not agree as he was informed that the accused was involved in the intrusion.
To a question by counsel Kamaruddin Mohamad Chinki, the witness said the communication interception conducted on all 11 targets in the case showed each one was involved with the army of the Sulu sultanate.
Meanwhile, Anuar, who was attached to the Asean section of the Special Branch, said among his duties was to analyse the socio-political factors in Asean countries, including in neighbouring countries in order to identify potential threats towards Malaysia.
He told the court that he had also analysed claims on Sabah and the reasons why certain quarters were laying claim on the state.
In the dock are 27 Filipinos and three local residents, in which some are facing multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group for waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, recruiting members for a terrorist group or wilfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group, allegedly committed between February 12 and April 10 last year.
The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues today. — Bernama