Police probing if attacks on footballers related

KUALA LUMPUR - Police are investigating whether the acid attack involving Selangor FC player Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim on May 5 is related to the criminal attack on three other footballers.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the investigation has so far focused on closed-circuit camera (CCTV) recordings at the scene and recordings of conversations from witnesses.

"Our focus at the moment is to find the suspect's identity to make it easier for us to investigate and find the main motive of the attack.

"The process of detecting the perpetrator's fingerprints also did not help much in locating the suspect after only three of the eight fingerprints obtained were found to be perfect while the rest were difficult to detect," he said at a press conference here today.

Commenting further, Razarudin said that so far the police have recorded the statement of 23 individuals to assist the investigation.

"A total of three individuals who were previously detained have been released after it was found that they have no connection, but they can be recalled if deemed necessary.

"The third arrest made in the area of Faizal Halim's residence was not disclosed after the investigation found that the individual involved was confirmed to be carrying out maintenance work in the area around his residence," he said.

Regarding the photofit or sketch of the face believed to be the suspect involved in the acid attack on Faisal, Razarudin said so far there has been no latest development on the matter since it was released to request the public's help, last week.

Previously, a 56-second CCTV recording showing an acid splash incident involving Faisal at a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya went viral on social media.

Before that on May 2, Terengganu FC (TFC) player Akhyar Rashid suffered a loss of almost RM5,000 after being beaten and robbed by an unknown individual in an incident in front of a condominium in Kuala Terengganu.

After the attack on Akhyar and Mohamad Faisal, Johor Darul Takzim footballer Safiq Rahim also faced a criminal attack when the rear window of the local footballer's vehicle was broken with a hammer, in an incident on Jalan Seri Gelam towards Lido Beach, Johor Bahru on 7 May.

Most recently on Wednesday, Selangor FC defender Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee’s house was broken into while he was out for a training session at the Selangor Training Centre in Shah Alam. - BERNAMA