Malaysia's High Court declared that an Islamic sect...

Malaysia's High Court declared that an Islamic sect was guilty of armed rebellion and 19 of its members could face the death penalty.
The group, Al-Ma'unah, staged raids on two military bases in 2000 and captured an arsenal of weapons. Followers were captured weeks later in a shoot-out after hiding in the jungle.
The incident led to warnings by the government about the existence of several armed Muslim groups that were plotting to overthrow Mahathir Mohamad, the prime minister, and establish an Islamic state in multi-racial Malaysia.
The government has since cracked down on another alleged terrorist group, the Malaysian Mujahideen Group (KMM), which has links to the Islamic Party of Malaysia, the biggest opposition group in parliament.
Unlike the KMM, the Al-Ma'unah appeared not to have links with established political parties and was considered a deviant Muslim sect that claimed mystical powers that would protect its followers in battle.
Led by Mohamed Amin Razali, a former army private and self-styled religious teacher, the group included several current and former soldiers who believed they were fighting on behalf of suppressed Muslims. Amin's campaign against the government appeared to have been motivated by the killing of his religious teacher by security forces in 1985.