Malaysian attacker claimed to be 'God's messenger'

July 11, 2012

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A samurai sword-wielding attacker shot dead by Malaysian police near Prime Minister Najib Razak's office had told his wife he was a "messenger of God", a senior security official said Tuesday (July 10th).

Abdul Razak Majid, the police chief in the administrative capital of Putrajaya, told AFP that the unemployed 47-year-old identified as Khalil Afandi Abdul Hamid was believed to be a member of a deviant cult group.

"His wife told police that he had claimed to be 'Imam Mahadi' or messenger of God," he said.

On Monday, a bare-chested Khalil and a 28-year-old woman identified as Muhdalina Ahmad forced their way into the prime minister's office in the housing complex armed with samurai swords.

They smashed the windscreens of cars parked nearby, and got to within 100m of Najib's office, an official with the prime minister's department said.

Muhdalina, who was shot in the leg, was being treated at a local hospital. Khalil, who was shot in the arm and groin, was pronounced dead in hospital.

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