Noordin laid to rest

Villagers and relatives offer funeral prayers in front of the casket of slain Islamist militant leader Noordin Mohammed Top, at a mosque in Pontian district of southern Johor state of Malaysia. -- PHOTO: AFP

KAMPUNG MELAYU (Malaysia) - SLAIN Islamist militant leader Noordin Mohammed Top was laid to rest in his childhood village Friday, three weeks after he was killed in a raid on his Indonesian hideout.

'Noordin's body was received in full Muslim tradition and following customary last rites he was buried here,' family representative Badarudin Ismail told AFP.

The leader of a violent splinter faction of the radical Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network, the 41-year-old Malaysian was killed along with several other militants in Central Java in Indonesia three weeks ago.

Mr Badarudin said Noordin's wife, Ms Rahmah Rusdi, and his brother, Mr Yahya Mohammed Top, had travelled to Indonesia to claim the body and accompany the remains to Noordin's home village in southern Johor state.

'The body arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport earlier this afternoon and it was then brought straight here for religious rites at the Jamek Nurul Iman mosque in the village,' he said.

The body of the terrorist mastermind arrived at the small village in an ambulance, escorted by police outriders who were part of a heavy security presence.

The atmosphere was tense as they escorted the brown coffin all the way into the mosque, where it was briefly opened for family members.

Over 2,000 relatives, friends and local residents attended the funeral, with emotional scenes as two grief-stricken women fainted.

Police then escorted the coffin to the cemetery as chants of 'Allahuakbar' or 'God is Great' filled the air. After it was interred, Noordin's wife and relatives sprinkled perfumed water on the grave.

Noordin was buried next to his elder brother Arif Mohammed Top, who died of liver cancer less than two weeks ago. -- AFP