Embassy press attaché Abdimajit M Osman in a phone interview with Bernama said Mustakim was facing charges in Somalia’s military court, where proceedings began in 2019 following his arrest that year.
“Mustakim is being treated well and is receiving a fair trial according to Somalia’s law and justice system. We would like to assure Malaysians that he is receiving a fair hearing,” he said.
Replying to a question, Abdimajit said Mustakim was the first Malaysian to be charged with terrorism-related activities in Somalia and supporting Al-Shabaab.
“Mustakim has already served more than two years in prison in Somalia. He claims to have come to Somalia to visit a friend he met in Yemen and that he has no connection with Al-Shabaab,” Abdimajit said.
On Saturday, foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah was reported as saying that Wisma Putra was closely monitoring the detention and legal process imposed on Mustakim.
The minister said Malaysian embassy officials in Khartoum, Sudan, had made a consular visit to ensure that Mustakim’s welfare and health were taken care of.
“The ministry will continue to monitor developments in the case and will provide the necessary assistance to him by ensuring his rights and welfare are always protected and that he gets a fair trial in accordance with the law.
“We must respect the laws of the respective country, and we may ask for our embassy representatives to attend his court proceedings,” Saifuddin said.
Abdimajit added that Mustakim, 34, who is believed to have entered Somalia around 2009 or 2010, was arrested along with another foreign national.
He said the Somali government had charged both of them with “assisting Al-Shabaab with their technical capabilities”.
“The allegations are that they assisted with creating propaganda videos, social media and indoctrination of Somalis and other nationals in foreign countries, and that they were captured while attempting to travel illegally to Yemen where they are accused of trying to join the Islamic State (Daesh) in Yemen,” he said.
“Somalia is a 100% Muslim country, and the terrorism caused by Al-Shabaab in the name of religion is against Muslims. Malaysia is a country of diverse religions where the people live in peace. This is true Islam and should be an example to all Muslims,” Abdimajit said.
In August 2014, Bernama reported that the home ministry was closely monitoring the movements of three Somali males who were suspected to be involved with the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.
The three men were believed to have used student visas to enter the country.
Al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliate in the African continent, was founded in 2004 in Somalia and is also known for its high profile attacks such as the 2013 attacks at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in Kenya and numerous assassinations of Somali politicians and military officers.
Although the terrorist organisation continues to pose a security threat in East Africa – with its activities spreading beyond Somalia’s borders – the group is much weakened now after the killing of many of its key leaders and members.
Al-Shabaab has killed, both inside and outside Somalia, thousands of civilians and security personnel in brutal attacks, and continues to launch attacks against civilian and military targets in Somalia despite the government’s intensive operations against them for the past few years.