JHEAIK detains 21 suspected Shia followers in Pendang

ALOR SETAR - The Kedah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIK) has detained 21 individuals, including six children, suspected of being Shia followers last Tuesday.

JHEAIK Chief Religious Enforcement Officer, Syeikh Zainul Mukhtar Abdullah Sirajudiin, said they received information that Shia followers would be gathering to commemorate the birthday of the 11th Shia Imam, Imam Hasan Al-Askari, at a house allegedly belonging to the state’s Shia leader in Pendang.

"In response, JHEAIK along with the police conducted a special Shia operation at 9.50pm on Tuesday. After an inspection, JHEAIK’s Religious Enforcement Officers detained six men, nine women, and six children aged between three and 77 years at the location.

"Books and items related to the teachings were also seized. All of them were brought to the Pendang District Religious Office for further investigation," he said in a statement today.

He added that those detained are being investigated under Sections 9 and 12 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Kedah Darul Aman) 2014 for insulting or defying religious authorities and for publishing material contrary to Islamic law.

On June 15, 2014, Shia teachings were officially declared deviant and in contradiction to the beliefs of the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah, the mainstream Islamic ideology in Kedah. - BERNAMA