Jobless four charged for Taiping church, school attacks

TAIPING, Feb 2 — Four jobless men were charged today in the magistrate's court with mischief by fire at two churches and a school here, part of a wave of attacks against places of worship in the wake of the controversial “Allah” ruling.

Court officials said no pleas was recorded from Abdul Fattah Shaharuddin (aged 29), Muhamad Ab Wahab (20), Andidi Rosidi (22), and Azreen Rosli (18) when the charges under section 436 of the Penal Code were read before magistrate Sharifah Izura Syed Mashor.

She set Feb 8 for further mention of the case.

Three other suspects who were detained with the four were freed and are expected to become prosecution witnesses. The seven have been remanded since Jan 22 as part of police investigations.

Abdul Fattah from Taman Palma 1 and Muhamad from Taman Mewah, both in Kamunting, were charged with causing mischief by fire between 12.01am and 3.30am on Jan 10 at the All Saints Church in Jalan Taming Sari here.

Andidi from Taman Mewah, Kamunting, was alleged to have committed the same offence between 12.01am and 3.30am on Jan 10 at SMK Convent in Jalan Convent while Azreen from Taman Desa Jaya was alleged to have committed the same offence between 12.01am and 3.30am at the Taiping Catholic Church in Jalan Convent here on Jan 10.

Sharifah Izura set bail at RM30,000 for each accused after Deputy Public Prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah argued that the offences were very serious and sensitive. He added they might jump bail as the offence carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine upon conviction.

Hamdan also urged the court to compel the four to report to the Taiping police every Monday once on bail.

The mothers of three of the accused appealed for lower bail but it was turned down by the court and they were sent to Taiping prison, except for Azreen, who was sent to the Sungai Petani juvenile detention centre.

The Taiping attacks were part of 12 churches and a Sikh gurdwara that were attacked with fire-bombs, stoned or vandalised with paint. Two mosques in the Klang Valley were also desecrated when wild boar heads were thrown into their compound.

Three men had claimed trial on Jan 29 in Kuala Lumpur for attack on the Metro Tabernacle Church in Desa Melawati on Jan 8.