Banned Islamic sect sues govt officials

Reuters/December 28, 2006

Kuala Lumpur -- A Malaysian Islamic sect is suing government officials for 100 million ringgit ($28m) for outlawing the group without giving it a chance to appeal the charges against it, sect members said yesterday.

The government in mainly Muslim Malaysia suspects the sect, Rufaqa, or “Comrades” in Arabic, could be a cover for the revival of the Al Arqam movement, banned in 1994 as being heretical after its followers claimed supernatural powers.

Now, Rufaqa has filed legal suits at two Malaysian courts against two officials of the central state of Selangor for making false statements to the media about it, a sect official told reporters.