Malaysia charges 22 people linked to Islamic firm GISB with organised crime

By Mandy Leong

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia charged 22 people linked to an Islamic conglomerate, including its chief executive, on Wednesday for organised crime, according to court documents and the company's lawyer.

Authorities last month launched a wide-ranging probe into Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings, for various crimes including suspected money laundering, human trafficking and sexual offences against children, after police rescued hundreds of youngsters from suspected abuse at care homes run by the firm.

GISB, which police say is linked to a banned religious sect, has denied allegations of widespread abuse and other misconduct although its chief executive Nasiruddin Mohd Ali acknowledged that "one or two" cases of sodomy had occurred at its shelters.

On Wednesday, Nasiruddin and other members of GISB were charged with organised crime, an offence that carries jail terms between five and 20 years if convicted, chargesheets reviewed by Reuters showed.

The documents did not provide details on the alleged charge.

"There will be a representation, an appeal, and a challenge of the charges," GISB lawyer Rosli Kamaruddin told reporters after a court hearing where the chargesheets were issued.

Those charged on Wednesday included Mohammad Adib At-Tarmimi, the son of late Malaysian preacher Ashaari Mohamed, the founder of the Al-Arqam religious sect that was outlawed by the government in 1994 for allegedly spreading deviant Islamic teachings in the Muslim-majority country.

GISB has acknowledged its links to Al-Arqam, but now describes itself as an Islamic conglomerate based on Muslim practices.

However, Malaysia's home affairs minister said last week investigations found many GISB followers still adhered to Al-Arqam teachings, while religious authorities in several states have issued fatwas declaring the group deviant.

(Writing by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)