A FRENCH terror suspect died on Sunday, three days after meeting with an accident while being transported by police from Perlis to Kuala Lumpur.

There were three other terror suspects – all French – in the vehicle, as well as several police officers.

A police source from the Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division confirmed the crash, saying the van the suspects were in burst a tyre and spun out of control.

“It was on Thursday afternoon, and it was raining heavily. Police were transporting the suspects to Kuala Lumpur from Perlis.

“One of the tyres burst and the van crashed, injuring two police officers and a French suspect, who sustained serious head injuries.

“He was sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital for treatment, but died on Sunday.”

The source said the two injured cops were warded in the Red Zone Unit of Sungai Buloh and Selayang Hospitals.

It is learnt that the other three suspects were sent to Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital. They are reported to be in stable condition.

The four French suspects were among eight people arrested on September 24 for attempting to spread the Salafi Jihadi ideology at a tahfiz centre in Perlis.

The source said the four others are still in police custody, and have yet to be deported.

“They are still in custody. The investigation is ongoing.”

Last week, Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the eight suspects were involved with an Islamic learning centre in Perlis that is believed to be promoting extremist teachings.

“They are students or former teaching staff of the centre.

“We acted after receiving intelligence that a Yemen-based terrorist group was planning to set up a learning centre in Southeast Asia, to promote Salafi Jihadi teachings.

“Our counterparts from foreign countries have shown that the suspects had connections to a madrasah in Dammaj, Yemen, set up by Sheikh Muqbil Hadi Al Wadi, a Salafi Jihadi scholar.

“The madrasah follows Salafi Jihadi teachings, which permit the killing of non-Muslims, and even Muslims who don’t follow their ways.”

He said the group branded Malaysia’s democratic system as “toghut” (un-Islamic).

He revealed that the first arrests, made in Perlis, were of five Europeans and a suspect from “the American continent”, aged between 24 and 38. – October 15, 2018.