Mercy given to sect followers

Mercy given to sect followers

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
has promised to show mercy to followers of a banned Islamic
messianic sect, but vowed to crackdown on its leaders.

"We do not want to arrest the followers ... the problem is
with the leaders, many of whom are still stubborn," Mahathir was
quoted in local reports yesterday saying, quashing speculation
that the government would resort to mass arrests of the Al Arqam
sect's members.

Al Arqam, an international religious movement based in Kuala
Lumpur, was officially outlawed in Malaysia on Friday for
threatening public order and spreading deviationist Islamic
teachings.

Its estimated 100,000 members in the country were ordered to
halt all activities of the group.