11:56am UK, Wednesday October 16, 2002

Four suspected Muslim militants have been held in Malaysia, including one linked to the al Qaeda terror network.

SP al Qaeda propaganda poster

One suspect linked to al Qaeda

Malaysian police chief Norian Mai said: "We believe those arrested have acted or will act in a manner that can threaten the security and peace of the country."

The arrests were planned before the Bali bomb blasts which killed more than 180 people.

Al Qaeda

Al Qaeda has been blamed for the September 11 terror attacks in the United States.

Malaysian police arrested a former university lecturer last month on suspicion of being a leader of an Asian Islamic terror group.

The said at the time they were hunting eight other suspects.

Norian said the latest arrests did not include any of those eight people.

The arrests mean Malaysia is now holding nearly 70 suspected militants under its Internal Security Act.

The Act allows detention without trial.