Charged with supporting militants

(NST) – An assistant credit controller was charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with attempting to provide support to the Islamic State (IS) group three weeks ago.

Ummi Kalsom Bahak, 25, allegedly to have tried to join IS by attempting to board an AirAsia flight to Istanbul, Turkey, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (klia2) to marry IS member Aqif Huessin Rahaizat. She allegedly committed the offence at the Immigration counter of klia2’s departure hall at 5.20am on Oct 5. Ummi Kalsom nodded to indicate that she understood the charge read to her before judge Aizatul Akmal Maharani.

No plea was recorded.

She also faced an alternative charge of trying to benefit IS by taking the same flight to enter Syria to get married to Aqif. She allegedly committed the offence at the same place and time.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin urged the court to deny bail. He also applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court.

Aizatul Akmal, who did not grant bail, fixed Nov 20 for mention to transfer the case to the High Court. Ummi Kalsom was unrepresented.