PKR distances itself from Malaysian 'Mossad agents' after photos of them with party flag

PKR today distanced itself from a Malaysian couple believed to have been recruited by Israel's Mossad for the recent abduction of a Palestinian man in Kuala Lumpur, after social media photos of them attending an event alongside a PKR banner raised questions about their political affiliations.

PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said Nidarahayu Zainal and Raibafie Amdan, among 11 people charged with kidnapping the man who was then taken to a hotel room for interrogation by Mossad agents, were not party members.

"Regarding pictures of those individuals holding PKR flags, or pictures of Facebook accounts showing PKR's logo around 2018, these were their actions and choices and have no connection whatsoever with the party," he added in a statement. 

The photos uploaded by Nidarahayu showing her and her husband Raibafie attending an event were widely circulated following news of the incident. 

The couple were among 11 individuals charged in court last week with kidnapping Omar ZM Albelbaisy Raeda, a Palestinian computer programmer whom Israel believed was working for Hamas.

However, the Malaysians who were believed to have been hired by Mossad to kidnap Omar were said to have bungled the covert operation, nabbing the wrong man in one of several careless mistakes.

Omar was found in a chalet in Kuala Langat, Selangor, where the abductors were carrying out a torture cum interrogation session while taking instructions from their Israeli bosses through a video call, local daily New Straits Times reported. 

Apart from the couple, the other nine were Edy Ko’im Said, Mohamad Norakmal Hassan, Dody Junaidi, Tengku Arif Bongsu Tengku Hamid, Mohamad Naziree Mustapha, Faizull Hardey Mohd Isa, Muhammad Iqmal Abdul Rahis, Mohamad Sufian Saly and Muhammad Al Hatim Mohd Fauzim. 

All 11 face either life imprisonment or the death sentence.

Fahmi meanwhile said that neither Nidarahayu nor her husband were affiliated with PKR or any of its branches, voicing the party's congratulations to the Malaysian police for successfully freeing the Palestinian man.