Malaysia today said it has identified a man who received about Rs 25 lakh from an Australia-based money transfer company allegedly linked to Islamic State terror outfit.
Home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police were pursuing the individual, a Malaysian, who received RM110,300 in his bank via Australia's Bisotel Rieh Global Money Transfer.
"Yes, we now know who this person is but I am not at liberty to name him. Let the police handle the case," he told English daily The Star.
Zahid said the person would be dealt with severely if found to have received funds for any terrorist-linked activities.
"Those involved will face the brunt of the law. There will be no compromise on our part," he said.
The Australian newspaper had reported that the country's police were investigating Bisotel Rieh Global Money Transfer over AUS 9 million in missing funds, some of which might have been used to finance Australians fighting with the Islamic State (IS).
It was later found that the company had also transferred Rs 25 lakh to an unnamed individual in Malaysia.
The police are narrowing down the possible recipients of the money transfer and have identified a few possible targets.
"While it may be a coincidence, the younger sibling of Khaled Sharrouf, an Australian fighting with the Islamic State, was reportedly in Malaysia for some time," paper said.
"Police have information that Khaled's younger sibling was in the country. The person was monitored closely after Khaled was identified as an Australian fighting for IS," it said.
