An American militant accused by Washington of conspiring to help the al-Qaeda network has been arrested by Malaysian police.
But officials said Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal - a 24-year-old student at the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur - would be deported as a violator of immigration laws rather than as a suspected terrorist.
He was targeted by US officials following raids in Michigan and Oregon last week in which four men, including Bilal's brother, were arrested. Bilal faces several charges, including conspiracy to levy war against the United States, conspiracy to contribute services to al-Qaeda and the Taleban, conspiracy to provide material support and resources to al-Qaeda, and possessing firearms to further crimes of violence.
The Malaysian government initially said it would investigate the case itself before deporting anyone named by the US.
'He has not done anything wrong as far as our laws are concerned. We are consulting our attorney-general as to the procedures, and what is to be done if the US really wants him,' Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was reported saying in yesterday's New Straits Times.
But police now admit they have had Bilal under surveillance for the past week and say he will be deported within days because the US has revoked his passport, making his stay in Malaysia illegal.
'At the moment [he is] without a passport,' Mr Abdullah told the Bernama news agency. 'That means he's an illegal immigrant. [So] we have to send him back,' he said.
