Previously, the Inspector-General of Police of Malaysia, Abdul Hamid Bador, had stated that Riden was associated with a religious prayer group. However, Abdul Hamid Bador later clarified that according to police records, Riden’s father was a member of the religious prayer group, but further investigation revealed that Riden himself had no links to any terrorist organizations. The police are currently investigating the motive behind Riden’s attack on the police station.
Furthermore, Abdul Hamid Bador, in an interview with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), stated that the police have arrested seven suspects in connection to the case, all of whom are Malaysian citizens, with no Singaporeans among them. The ages of the suspects range from 19 to 62, with five of them being relatives of the deceased.
Earlier, Malaysian media had reported that one of the suspects was a Singaporean. However, according to the latest information from the police, this information has been proven to be incorrect.
On May 17, 2023, two police officers were killed in a shocking attack at the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor, Malaysia. The attack occurred at around 2:45 am, where a masked intruder armed with pistols and a machete killed two police officers and injured another. The intruder was reportedly shot dead at the scene.
Following the attack, the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, confirmed that all seven individuals detained in connection to the case were Malaysian citizens, contradicting earlier reports that a Singaporean was among the detained. The seven individuals, including five family members of the suspect, have been remanded for seven days until May 24 to assist in investigations.
The suspect’s mother, an elderly woman, claimed to be a Singaporean, but this could not be verified as she did not have an identity card on hand. The remaining two out of the seven individuals were two students from higher learning institutions who are believed to have a connection with the incident.
Initially, the suspect was suspected to be linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group due to his father’s involvement with the group. However, preliminary police investigations found that the suspect was believed to have acted alone, driven by his own motivations and understanding.
The police later recovered a Walther P99 pistol and a HK MP5 rifle from the scene. According to Free Malaysia Today, the suspect is believed to have been a member of the JI terrorist group, but the police have since clarified that the suspect was not a member of the group.
New Straits Times reported that JI materials were found at the suspect’s house, and following the attack, over 20 JI members have been identified in Johor. The police are currently investigating the motive behind the attack and whether there are any links to terrorist organizations.
The attack on the Ulu Tiram police station has raised concerns about the security situation in Malaysia and the potential threat of terrorist attacks. The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.