Islamic sect revival reported

Islamic sect revival reported

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian authorities believe a former leader of an outlawed Islamic sect is trying to revive it with foreign help, reports said on Sunday.

Former Al-Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad was suspected to be behind the efforts launched three months ago, a minister in the prime minister's department, Abdul Hamid Othman, was quoted as saying in The Sun.

Al-Arqam was founded in 1968 by Ashaari and crushed by the authorities in 1994 when Malaysia's Muslim clergy ruled its teachings were in conflict with Islam.

The movement claimed 100,000 followers in Malaysia alone and branches in 16 countries worldwide before August 1994.