THE death of the Islamic State’s top recruiter and propagandist, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, in a drone attack on April 30 in Syria has created a vacancy in the terrorist organisation.

Who will step into Wanndy’s boots? Malaysian authorities believe four Malaysians now fighting for IS in Syria are fit for the job.

Intelligence sources said Akel Zainal, Mohd Rafi Udin, Muhammad Fudhail Omar and Zahar Abdullah each has an equal chance of succeeding Wanndy but there are also rumours the four could team up to recruit for IS’ Malaysian-Indonesian unit.

Federal police Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division assistant director Ayob Khan Pitchay Mydin said the four had helped to spread IS propaganda and recruit new members for many years.

“The job of prime mover might go to the one with the best capabilities to pursue the IS agenda here,” he said.

Name: Mohd Rafi Udin (Abu Ain)
Age: 51
Date of arrival in Syria: February 1, 2014

Background:
A former taxi driver who was detained under the abolished preventive Internal Security Act for his involvement in the now defunct militant group Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM), whose mission was to topple the government.

Rafi took part in a bank robbery in 2001 to raise funds for the group and fled to Indonesia to avoid arrest.

In Indonesia, he joined Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and took part in the Sulawesi and Ambon conflict on the Moluccas islands. He was arrested in Palu, Sulawesi, in 2003 and jailed for a year.

Upon returning to Malaysia, he was held under the ISA. Following his release, he worked as a taxi driver in Kuala Lumpur.

His training as a militant goes back to 1998 in Afghanistan. Last year, he became the first Malaysian to behead an IS detainee.

He also gave the green light to IS members in Asia to launch attacks in their home countries. In Malaysia, he has targeted Bukit Aman police headquarters, among others, for an IS attack.

Name: Wan Mohd Aquil (Aqil Zainal/Akel Zainal)
Age: 38
Date of arrival in Syria: January 3, 2014

Background:
The former drummer of popular rock band Ukay owned a store selling outdoor equipment in Malaysia prior to his departure to Syria.

He is said to have recruited Selangor International Islamic College student Syamimi Faiqah, 21, who left to join IS in Syria on October 4.

A local daily reported that Syamimi had run off to marry an IS militant known as Akel Zainal, whom she got to know via Facebook.

Name: Muhammad Fudhail Omar
Age: 25
Date of arrival in Syria: May 2, 2014

Background:
The former civil society worker was an active Twitter user using the handle @fudhailO. He was last observed online in August last year.

His name pops up in the charge sheets of several IS members captured in Malaysia, who said they had received orders from Fudhail to carry out acts of terror in the country.

Name: Zahar Abdullah (Abu Zahar/ Zahar Pokloh)
Age: 36
Date of arrival in Syria: October 25, 2014

Background:
The former army man from Setiu, Terengganu, was stationed in Kem Kukusan, Tawau Sabah.

His conversion to the IS cause followed Ops Daulat in Lahad Datu to defend against the Sulu intrusion.

In the standoff between Malaysian armed forces and Sulu fighters, Zahar’s squad mate was shot dead. Zahar was ordered not to return fire and to take a safe position.

Angry and frustrated, Zahar turned to religion for solace. Zahar went off to Syria without informing his siblings, with whom he did not get along.

He recruited Malaysian army personnel for IS through Facebook and is regularly on the frontline. From the photos taken of him next to the bodies of soldiers in the Basyar regime, he has been no slouch in the fighting and terror department. – May 22, 2017.