Dad cannot believe son linked to beheading
Published on: Friday, March 06, 2015
Kedah: The father of the 20-year-old seen in a Islamic State-produced video showing the beheading of a Syrian man is reeling in shock.Retired government servant Anuar Salleh cannot believe that his quiet son had joined the IS militants and was present during the beheading of a man. Anuar, 57, is hoping that the police counter terrorism unit had mistakenly identified the man as Mohd Faris Anuar, his son.
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"I last saw Faris at the end of last year. He told me that he was going to look for a job and at the same time further his studies in religious teaching."I was not home on the day he left, and have not been able to contact Faris at all. He just disappeared," Anuar said at his home in Kampung Jelatang, Gurun.Anuar claimed he did not know that Mohd Faris was fighting alongside the extremists and only learnt of his son's involvement after police named Mohd Faris and 26-year-old Muhamad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi as the two Malaysians in the beheading video."My wife has high blood pressure and doesn't know about this yet. I do not plan to tell her as I worry she might not be able to take it.
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"I pray that the man is not Faris, and hopefully this is just a case of mistaken identity."Nowadays there are many things that can be altered and portrayed by the social media," Anuar said.
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He, however, identified a man's mugshot published in connection with the news to be that of Mohd Faris. Anuar described his son as a very disciplined child, who does not own a smartphone, laptop or a driving licence."Faris is a very quiet person and he does not have many friends. He will stay at home during his free time, and doesn't go out for drinks with friends. "There was nothing unusual in his behaviour before he left home," said Anuar.The third child among six siblings, Mohd Faris spent his fourth and fifth form years at SM Teknik Sungai Petani. Anuar said Mohd Faris just hung around at home after completing his SPM in 2012 until he left home at the end of last year.Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayub Khan was earlier reported as saying that duo are believed to be part of a new group of militants comprising Malaysians and Indonesians – Majmu'ah al Arkhabiliy.This group, it was reported, replaced the older wing – Katibah Nusantara Lid Daulah Islamiah – in Syria and Iraq.In the 30-second video, Faris was the one gesturing with his index finger towards the camera, while Wanndy was believed to be the one recording the video, it said.The beheading video was uploaded to a Facebook account on February 20.The recording showed a militant identified as an Arab beheading a Syrian accused of being a spy for the Assad regime.It also showed another militant identified as an Indonesian holding the head of the Syrian and shouting "Allahuakbar".Ayub told the portal that from intelligence gathered, the video was taken by Muhamad Wanndy based on the voice heard in the clip.He said the video also showed Muhamad Wanndy, who is the owner of the Facebook account of Abu Hamzah Al Fateh.Muhamad Wanndy is in Syria with his wife Nor Mahmudah, while Mohd Faris is believed to have gone to Syria in September last year.Muhamad Wanndy and wife went to Syria in January this year.Authorities in Muslim-majority Malaysia have expressed increasing alarm as scores of the country's citizens have either gone abroad to join the Isis jihad or been arrested for supporting the group or seeking to travel to Syria.In January, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 67 Malaysians are known to have gone to Syria and Iraq and that five had been killed fighting for the cause.Malaysia was holding 120 people with suspected Isis links or sympathies, including both men and women, said Zahid, who is in charge of domestic security.Malaysia has traditionally observed a moderate brand of Islam and kept a lid on extremists.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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