TERRORISTS IN MALAYA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26204, 30 August 1950, Page 7

TERRORISTS IN MALAYA

Guerrillas Retire To

Jungles NEW COMMUNIST CELLS

(Rec. 11 p.m.) SINGAPORE, August 29. Badly mauled by security forces in Johore and Negri Sembilan, terrorist guerrillas have retired deep into jungles, from which Army patrols are ferreting them out, declared the director of the anti-ter-rorist operations in Malaya, Lieu-tenant-General Sir Harold Briggs, at a conference in Kuala Lumpur to-day. Terrorist incidents had decreased in Johore and Perak states but increased in Pahang and Kedah, he added. In the period from July 15 to August 25 92 terrorists were killed or captured by' the security forces throughout Malaya, not including what was thought to have been a considerable number of wounded whom the terrorists had evacuated into jungle hideouts.

In addition 87 known terrorist supporters were arrested.

Although no casualty figures were available Sir Harold Briggs contended that the Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force action was effective through “lowering bandit morale by keeping them on the move and away from their food supplies.” Sir Harold Briggs said that the terrorists appeared to be gaining experience in the use of explosives and had organised Communist cells in the villages and among labourers near the main communications. It was the men of these cells who engaged in small ambushes. Many of these men were labourers by day and bandits in the afternoon and night. General Briggs maintained as his plans progressed improved information and security would assist to wipe out such cells.