Sirul fitted with monitoring device

Former police officer Sirul Azhar Umar is facing the death sentence in Malaysia for murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006. (Al Jazeera pic)

PETALING JAYA: Convicted murderer Sirul Azhar Umar, who was released earlier this month from an immigration detention centre in Australia, has been fitted with an electronic monitoring device which allows authorities to keep tabs on his whereabouts.

Sirul was among the 140 non-Australians who were released after the High Court ruled on Nov 8 that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) said that while a vast majority of them were fitted with the device and placed under curfew to restrict their movements, it could not comment on specific cases.

However, a source confirmed that Sirul – a former police officer – is among those whose movements had been restricted in such a manner.

In an email response to FMT, an ABF spokesman said the electronic monitoring device and curfew were among the requirements in the recently amended Migration Act and Migration Regulations.

Those convicted for violent crimes like murder, rape and paedophilia are required to wear such bracelets, adhere to strict curfews and comply with “reporting and engagement requirements”.

The ABF spokesman also said that stringent mandatory visa conditions had been imposed to restrict their access to work with children and other vulnerable people.

The spokesman, however, did not explain what was meant by “reporting and engagement requirements”.

On whether the Australian government was considering applying terrorism laws on those freed in order to re-arrest them, the spokesman said this was for the government to decide.

According to Australian news reports, the government is mulling to apply terrorism laws on some of the most violent among the offenders who were released.

Sirul is facing the death sentence in Malaysia for murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006 together with former colleague Azilah Hadri.

In line with its laws, Canberra will not deport those facing the death sentence back to their country of origin.

Sirul fled to Australia in 2015 before the Federal Court overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision to free him and Azilah and reinstated the High Court’s earlier decision sentencing them to death.

Azilah has been detained in Kajang Prison and is among 1,000 inmates on death row who have applied for a review of their sentences.