Yazid charged with promoting terrorism

Yazid Sufaat, a former ISA detainee, is facing a 30-year jail sentence after being accused of promoting acts of terrorism in Syria. 

K Pragalath, FMT

Yazid Sufaat was not charged under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act. He was instead charged under Section 130 G (a) of the Penal Code for promoting acts of terrorism.

He was accused of promoting acts of terrorism in strife-torn Syria.

The section provides for a maximum prison sentence of 30 years for inciting, promoting or soliciting property for the commission of terrorist acts.

The charge sheet stated that Yazid committed the offence between Aug 1 and Oct 20 last year at his house in Ampang.

Meanwhile, housewife Halimah Hussin, 52, was charged under the same section as well as Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetting Yazid during the same period of time.

The pair were charge at the Ampang magistrate’s court this afternoon.

Earlier, the defence counsel for both Yazid and Halimah argued on the legality of Section 130 G (a) of the Penal Code.

“The section was amended on Dec 25, 2003 but there are no gazetted dates for the enforcement of this section,” argued Amer Hamzah Arshad.

“This proceeding cannot proceed and this court has no jurisdiction to hear this case,” he added.

The prosecution team led by deputy public prosecutor Hanafiah Zakaria countered that the gazette date cannot be given but it is still enforced before magistrate Zulyana Zollkapli.

This prompted Zulyana to adjourn the court for 30 minutes.

Following this, Hanafiah clarified that the section in question had been gazetted in March 2007.

Hanafiah also requested for both cases to be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court which Zulyana allowed.

After the hearing, Yazid, a former Internal Security Act detainee, was sent to Sungai Buloh Prison whereas Halimah was sent to Kajang Prison.

The date for the hearing in Shah Alam High Court has not been fixed.