Malaysia deports 7 for alleged ties to terrorist group

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian police say six Egyptians and a Tunisian man believed to be linked to an African-based terror group have been detained and deported.

National police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun says one of the Egyptians and the Tunisian national are suspected members of Ansar Al-Sharia Al-Tunisia, which is based in North Africa and listed as a terrorist group by the U.N.

Fuzi said in a statement Sunday the two were detained in 2016 for trying to illegally enter an African country. He said they used fake passports to enter Malaysia in October last year and were planning to sneak into a third country to launch attacks.

Fuzi said five other Egyptians and two Malaysians were detained last month for providing food, shelter, air tickets and employment for the two suspected terrorists.