Malaysia’s Mahathir one of world’s ‘most dangerous extremists’, says US-based group

The Counter Extremism Project put the former prime minister at number 14 on its list of people ‘considered a huge threat to international security’

It cited him as anti-Semitic, a critic of the West, and highlighted his controversial remarks about the October 2020 terrorist attack in France

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Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad reacts during an interview in Kuala Lumpur in October. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:07pm, 7 Jan 2021Updated: 9:12pm, 7 Jan 2021

Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s former prime minister, has been named one of “The Top 20 Most Dangerous Extremists Around the World” by the US-based Counter Extremism Project (CEP).

He is number 14 on the list, which was presented as a collection of extremists across a spectrum of ideologies and beliefs, whom the CEP said were “considered a huge threat to international security”.

Secretary general of Palestinian group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was named as the most dangerous in the list, ahead of Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla who is the self-styled “caliph” of terrorist group Islamic State.

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah was named as the most dangerous extremist on the list. Photo: EPA

In the entry for Mahathir, the CEP cited him as anti-Semitic, a critic of the West, and highlighted his remarks about the October 2020 terrorist attack in France.

“Mahathir is not directly responsible for specific acts of violence. However, his controversial opinions have led to international condemnation as it was alleged Mahathir supported extremist violence against the West,” the CEP said.