08/24/2019 Malaysia (International Christian Concern) – The involvement of women from the Southeast Asian region in suicide bombing has become more alarming, according to Bukit Aman’s Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

After delivering a talk at the Security Awareness Seminar: Addressing Threats of Daesh, IS and Deviant Teachings in Pendang, he told the press that the Division is concerned about the involvement of women as suicide bombers. “It is a new trend in Southeast Asian region where women are being used to carry out suicide bomb attacks, like in the church attacks in southern Philippines and Surabaya, Indonesia.” he said.

40 people including two women had been detained so far in the country, believed to be involved in the militant activities since January.

“We are focused on prevention— if there are preliminary information and enough evidence, we will make the arrest and we will not let them launch an attack,” he said.

The recent deadly suicide bombing attacks targeting churches in Jolo, Philippines, and Surabaya, Indonesia took more than 30 lives and injured 100 more. In both cases, wives of IS-linked militants became suicide bombers. For Surabaya, the children of militants also became human bombs.

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