Malaysia frees 12 people detained under repealed security law

Malaysia on Friday freed 12 people detained under the Internal Security Act, which was repealed three months ago by Parliament, a senior official said. Seven Malaysians, three Indonesians and two Pakistanis who were involved in human smuggling and terrorism were released, Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said.
The detainees were released after the government was satisfied they had been rehabilitated and were no longer a threat to national security, Hishammuddin said. The latest releases brought to 25 the number of detainees freed after the Internal Security Act was repealed May 9. The 1960 law allowed the government to indefinitely detain people considered threats to national security.