Zahid: Manchester cops broke down doors to arrest our students

Vanesha Shurentheran | May 31, 2017

This has left the three traumatised, he says.

SHAH ALAM: Three Malaysian students were traumatised despite being released by police after questioning regarding the May 22 Manchester bombing, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“From what we know they have been released.

“But they are still traumatised because the Manchester police had to break down their doors to get into their house,” he said at the Inculcating Good Values event here today.

During the press conference at the Tengku Ampuan Jemaah mosque, Zahid said the students were currently being housed at the Malaysia Hall in Manchester.

He also advised Malaysian students in Manchester to avoid having weekly discussions or inviting foreign friends over to their abode so as not to raise suspicion.
Zahid said he believed a wrongful report had been made against the students due to their weekly meetings.

The home minister said even though the Malaysian students were questioned, he understands the situation in Manchester.

“We will be working together in whatever way we can if any other information is required by the authorities.

“We will also be working with MI5 and MI6 on counter terrorism.”
Zahid said he was satisfied with the investigation done by the Manchester police on the Malaysian students.

The three students were reported to have been taken to the Longsight police station in Manchester at 5.40pm and released at 9pm.

The suicide bombing at a concert at Manchester Arena killed 22 people and injured scores of others.
Manchester police said at least 16 people had been arrested since the bombing.
The Times reported earlier today that the three Malaysians were “innocent Muslim students” who may have been “used” by Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22.
Friends of the three Malaysian students told the UK daily that Abedi may have taken advantage of the hospitality accorded by them previously.

The students’ address was used by Abedi to avoid detection by police and counter-terrorism authorities in the UK.

The Malaysians were believed to have been staying in the same place for the past four years.
Two of the Malaysians were said to be medical students at Manchester University, while the third was said to be studying at Manchester Metropolitan University.