Trial date set for first Malaysian student in al-Qaeda

Trial date set for first Malaysian student in al-Qaeda

Mohamad Hidayat Azman, 19, pleads not guilty to charge last May that he entered Syria to join al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Mohamad-Hidayat-Azman
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today fixed Sept 26 for the trial of a college student in Cairo, Egypt, who is charged with supporting the al-Qaeda (Jund Al Aqsa) terrorist group by becoming its member.

Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah set the date for the case following a request from the prosecution. The case was fixed for mention today.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Syazwani Mohamad Sobry requested the court have the hearing after the Aidiladha (Hari Raya Haji) celebration on Sept 12 to ensure the presence of witnesses from outside Kuala Lumpur.

Mohamad Hidayat Azman, 19, is the first person to be prosecuted for involvement with al-Qaeda activities in the country.

Last May 12, Hidayat, a student at Markaz Salam in Hayyu Asyir, Cairo, pleaded not guilty to a charge of entering Syria to offer support to the al-Qaeda (Jund Al Aqsa) terrorist group by becoming its member.

Hidayat, from Kuala Bagan Tiang, Tanjung Piandang, Perak, was charged with committing the offence by boarding a flight from KL International Airport (KLIA) to Syria between Sept 5, 2014 and Sept 1, 2015.

He was charged under Section 130J (1)(a) of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 130J of the same law, which provides life imprisonment or jail of up to 30 years, or fine, and forfeiture of items used in committing the offence.

 

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