Police: Top Malaysian Islamic State operative dead in Syria

In this photo, taken June 28, 2016, Malaysian forensic personnel inspect the blast site of a grenade attack at a bar and restaurant in Puchong, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysia’s police chief said Monday, May 8, 2017, the country’s top Islamic State operative was killed in an attack in Syria last month. Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, 26, was believed to have been responsible for the grenade blast that injured eight people. It was the first attack in the country by the Islamic State militant group. (Photo by JOSHUA PAUL /AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s police chief said the country’s top Islamic State operative was killed in an attack in Syria last month.

Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, 26, was believed to have been responsible for a grenade blast at a bar in a suburb outside Kuala Lumpur last June that injured eight people. It was the first attack in the country by the Islamic State militant group.

Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar tweeted late Monday that intelligence had been obtained that Muhammad Wanndy died in an attack in Raqqa, Syria, on April 29. He didn’t give further details.

Muhammad Wanndy, who was born in the southern state of Malacca, left for Syria with his wife in 2014. In March, the US Treasury Department listed him under their list of global militants.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has detained more than 250 suspected militants over the last three years, including some allegedly planning attacks in the country.