KUALA LUMPUR – Although the likelihood of covert operatives – such as those affiliated with Israeli intelligence agency Mossad – operating within Malaysia’s borders is deemed low, security experts believe local authorities should remain vigilant in monitoring potential threats, suspects, and victims.
Dr John Harrison, associate professor of the Homeland Security and Intelligence Programme at Rabdan Academy in the United Arab Emirates, noted Israel’s intent to protect its national interests without escalating conflicts well beyond its borders.
“Surely Israelis would be looking to find and somehow remove from the battlefield operatives of whatever groups that they might be interested in,” he told Scoop.
Harrison suggested that Malaysia should work with international partners to identify potential suspects and engage in diplomatic, discreet discussions to manage any relationships.
He also noted that Malaysia faces several areas of concern.
Among these is a reevaluation of its position in hosting the members of various organisations that may have links to incidents worldwide.
“Furthermore, selective operations may target individuals connected, directly or indirectly, to organisations involved in global incidents.”
“Malaysia will collaborate with regional and global partners to serve two primary objectives, identifying potential members of suspect organisations and employing diplomacy through discreet channels with partner nations to share information and manage relationships,” he said.
He added that while high-profile operations often draw attention, the quiet conversations and collaborations between Malaysian authorities and their partners that take place outside the public eye carry the most weight.
“Malaysian authorities will also liaise closely with embassies of nations that have faced attacks, such as the recent incident on October 7, to secure diplomatic, non-governmental, religious, and cultural facilities against potential threats, whether from non-state actors or opportunistic individuals exploiting the global climate.”
“It is often difficult to detect in advance an intelligence service from entering a country, they would be doing everything that they can (to enter a country) certainly.
“These conversations (between Malaysia and partners) would still be going on… and the preference is not to have (covert) individuals operating on your territory. But if there are suspects, they would go through a legal process,” he said.
“Otherwise, Malaysian authorities would be looking at anybody who might be a potential target to see if they could somehow maybe move them on in a way that would not bring negative attention to Malaysia.”
However, he said there is currently no specific public information necessitating an increase in Malaysia’s threat alert level.
“Malaysia doesn’t have any stake in the fight. So, they are not going to be interested in doing anything that may seem to be taking sides in a conflict that does not directly involve the country,” he said.
Israel is known for conducting covert operations, including assassinations and kidnappings, against individuals it deems enemies of the state on foreign soil.
Malaysia, a nation without diplomatic ties with Israel, has experienced two incidents of the kidnapping and assassination variety, suspected to be carried out by Israeli covert operatives.
In September of the previous year, local operatives believed to be working for Mossad kidnapped a Palestinian man in Kuala Lumpur and detained him in Kuala Langat over alleged links to Hamas’ armed wing.
The victim was eventually rescued by Kuala Lumpur police, and two local individuals were arrested and charged in connection with the abduction.
On April 21, 2018, Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, an expert in rocket and drone accuracy, was shot dead by two suspected Israeli operatives while commuting to Friday prayers. Fadi was also associated with Hamas, according to Israel.
He had obtained his PhD from the University of Malaya and worked as a lecturer at Universiti Kuala Lumpur British-Malaysian Institute (UniKL BMI).
Nordic Counter-Terrorism Network (NCTN) Finland director Andrin Raj underscored the importance of Malaysia standing against terrorist organisations on its soil.
“As for previous alleged covert operations by Israel on Malaysian soil, these incidents remain unconfirmed. It’s essential for Malaysia to maintain its stance against terrorist organisations operating within its borders.”
“Absence of attacks by Hamas on Malaysian soil should not serve as a basis for providing sanctuary. The potential for Hamas to target Israeli embassies regionally, potentially with support from Hezbollah’s covert operations in Southeast Asia, poses a risk to any nation.”
He noted that recent developments, such as a statement by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) calling for support for Palestine, may increase the likelihood of regional sympathisers getting involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“Malaysian-based Palestinian refugees should uphold democratic values and avoid causing disharmony in the multicultural Malaysian society. Transparency in sharing information related to any potential Hamas operations is encouraged. Israel will undoubtedly act to neutralise global Hamas threats.”
“Despite the absence of diplomatic relations with Israel, Malaysia maintains cooperation with international counterparts in sharing intelligence and counterterrorism training, consistent with agreements established after the 9/11 attacks.
“However, certain intelligence remains confidential even from government security agencies to counter terrorism threats.” – October 20, 2023