Four Al-Ma'unah members who pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of preparing to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong were today sentenced to 10 years' jail each by the High Court.

This is the same jail term imposed on six other Al-Ma'unah members who had pleaded guilty to the same alternative charge last December.

The four yesterday pleaded guilty under section 122 of the Penal Code to collecting men and arms to prepare to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or up to 20 years in jail.

They admitted that they were all members of the Islamic Al-Ma'unah extremist militant group whose main mission was to topple the government and replace it with one based on the rules of Islam.

The four are Aziz Kamaruzailan, Jasmin Jaafar, Abu Bakar Ismail and Mohd Roshdi Yaacub.

They admitted to making preparations to collect men or arms to wage war between April and July this year at Pos 2, Km 19, Kuala Rui, Jalanraya Timur-Barat, Grik; Batalion 304, Infantri (AW), Kem Grik, Grik; and in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, all in Perak

Overthrow government

In passing sentence, Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin said the offence committed by the four was serious. He ordered their sentence to begin from their date of arrests on July 7 last year.

"Although they were not the leaders or masterminds behind the incident, their roles and involvement were there and they had the intention to wage war and topple the government," said Zulkefli.

He said the four were involved in preparations made by the group members for an arms heist with the purpose of toppling the government.

He said that the four were also part of the group which had taken four men hostage of which two were violently killed.

"They were part of the group whose actions were dangerous and posed a threat to national security," said Zulkefli.

Principal charge

All the Al-Ma'unah members, including leader Mohd Amin Mohd Razali, were charged under section 121 of the Penal Code for waging war or abetting to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries a death sentence or a life imprisonment term on conviction.

They are alleged to have committed the offence between June and July 6, last year, at Pos 2; Batalion 304 Camp and at Bukit Jenalik.

They are alleged to have carried out an arms heist at two military camps by duping the soldiers into believing they were there to conduct an arms inspection in the early hours of July 2. They had then set-up a camp in Bukit Jenalik and exchanged gunfire with security forces before eventually surrendering on July 7.

Fourteen of them were offered the alternative charge and on Dec 7 six of the gang members pleaded guilty, followed by the four yesterday.

All the remaining group members will now face trial on the principal charge as the Attorney-General's Chambers has withdrawn the offer of the alternative charge.

' Allah's Soldiers '

The trial of the remaining 19 continued later with the 57th prosecution witness giving evidence.

ASP Zainal Abidin Mohd Said, from the Perak police headquarters, confirmed that he was handed about 115 machine guns by several investigating officers who had removed the arms from Bukit Jenalik.

He told the court that he had wrapped the guns in brown paper and had them sealed.

Another witness, ASP Charles Labung Lawai told the court that he received a book titled ' Allah's Soldiers In Malaysia ' from an investigating officer of the case.

Hearing continues on Jan 29.