Israeli settler faces 30-40 years for gun trafficking in Malaysia
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An Israeli occupation settler, possibly a Mossad agent with a forged French passport who reached Malaysia through a UAE flight, faces up to 40 years in Malaysian prison and caning on charges of firearm trafficking and possession.
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Israeli settler, Shalom Avitan, who was arrested in March for violating the Firearm Act, is accompanied by a tight escort of police officers as arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on April 12, 2024. (Social media)
An Israeli settler thought to be a Mossad agent, Shalom Avitan, 38, was apprehended on March 27 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, where authorities purportedly discovered six handguns and 158 bullets in his possession.
He is facing a lengthy prison sentence and corporal punishment in Malaysia after being accused of trafficking firearms and possessing ammunition in the country, a prosecutor stated on Friday.
Avitan asserted his innocence during his court appearance on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. He remains in police custody.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam described the charges as "a serious offence," indicating that Avitan could face imprisonment ranging from 30 to 40 years along with caning, involving at least six strokes.
According to police statements, Avitan arrived in Malaysia from the United Arab Emirates using a forged French passport on March 12.
Mobster or Mossad agent?
The Inspector-General of Malaysia's Police Razarudin Husain said earlier in March that an Israeli who may be working for Israeli intelligence agencies was arrested by authorities, according to Israeli media.
Avitan was arrested in March 202 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Initially, he presented authorities with a French passport and later handed in his Israeli passport during investigations.
Authorities also arrested three people suspected of supplying Avitan with firearms and transport in Malaysia. According to Israeli media outlets, Avitan is part of an Israeli gang, dubbed the Musli brothers crime family. He alleges that he arrived in Malaysia to assassinate Eran Haya, the head of a rival crime family. Originally, he had arrived from the United Arab Emirates on March 12.
However, authorities in Kuala Lumpur have taken the story with a grain of salt, saying that they do not trust his story.
"We do not fully trust this narrative as we suspect there may be another agenda," Razarudin said, adding that the man had stayed at several hotels while in Malaysia.
Avitan has paid for the firearms with cryptocurrency and could face up to 25 years in jail if convicted of the crimes he committed, including the possession of a forged passport, possession of firearms, and conspiracy to murder.
If the suspicion of the Israeli's affiliation with Israeli spy agencies is confirmed to be true, Avitan faces more severe punishment.
The Israeli embassy in Singapore has yet to respond to requests for comment from media outlets.
It is worth noting that Malaysia has never established relations with the Israeli regime and has been a long-time supporter of Palestine. The country is not new to the espionage and assassination plots of the Israeli Mossad, as it witnessed the kidnapping and murder of Hamas member and scholar, Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh in 2018.
