Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysian police arrested six foreigners and one Malaysian for suspected links to terrorist groups, including the self-claimed Islamic State (IS), on March 5.

The six foreigners were an Indonesian, four Yemenis and one person from an East Asian country.

In a statement, Inspector-General of Malaysian Police Khalid Abu Bakar said that the Malaysian and Indonesian were accused of planning a car-bomb attack in Malaysia, before aiming to join IS in Syria. They were accused of being part of the IS network and receiving instructions from Muhammad Jedi, a Malaysian IS gunman in Syria.

The four Yemenis were suspected of being part of a Yemeni insurgent group and a travel document forging syndicate. The East Asian held a fake student visa and had connections to an East Asian militant group that sends members to Malaysia before heading to Syria to join IS.

Police also seized multiple international passports and 60,650 USD in cash in various currencies.

Malaysia has arrested hundreds of people over the years on suspicion of terrorist offences. The country has been on high alert since a grenade attack in Kuala Lumpur’s outskirts in July 2016, which IS claimed responsibility for.-VNA