MALACCA: Two students managed to sneak out of the country to join the Islamic State (IS) with one of them, a female medical student, now in Syria. The other, a male, was detected and sent back and is now in police custody.

Bukit Aman’s Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (pix) said the two, in their 20s, were found to be in the Middle East despite rigid controls at Malaysian exit points.

He said his team managed to detect the movements of the male student who attempted to enter Syria via a flight through Istanbul, Turkey.

“We got the cooperation of the Turkish authorities to repatriate the student back to Malaysia last Thursday and he is now in our custody,” Ayob Khan said after attending an event at Dewan Seri Bendahara here Monday.

Ayob Khan said the female student managed to enter Syria and is reported to have joined IS.

He said the two students are among three Malaysians who slipped under Bukit Aman’s radar to join IS between January and August this year.