DHAKA: They were ‘fresh’ but eager to be militants after being recruited via Facebook just three months ago.

Three would-be Malaysian militants, arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday, were enlisted into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group by a senior Malaysian militant who used Facebook to lure members.

The architect and a technician, both 26, and a 42-year-old shopkeeper were part of a wider network, all of whom joined ISIS to achieve martyrdom.

‘The police have already identified the recruiter. The suspects are considered still ‘fresh’ but willing to join ISIS in their false jihad,’ a source said in an interview Friday, The Straits Times publishes this report on Saturday.

Police believed the suspects were in contact with other Malaysian fighters in Syria.

It is believed the three had met in Klang along with their ‘handler’ several times to plan their impending trip to Syria.

‘Police are investigating if the suspects had any plans against Malaysian targets but, so far, there is no such indication,’ said the source, adding that the meetings were held at the architect’s house in Klang.

The suspects would use different modes of transport and routes to get to the Klang home each time to avoid detection.

Soon after the three were arrested, officers from the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division brought the men to their homes - in Klang, Kota Baru and Arau - where further investigations were carried out.

‘Police seized an ISIS flag and several computers belonging to the suspects. Interviews with their family members showed that they did not know of the suspects’ activities.’

‘There was, however, a family which consented to it as they believed he would be fighting in a holy war,’ the source added.

BDST: 1215 HRS, SEP 27, 2014