SEPANG: A 19-year-old college student became the first person to be charged with supporting the militant Al-Qaeda group here by joining the group as a member since last year.

Mohamad Hidayat Azman, clad in a black T-shirt, nodded his head to indicate he understood the charge read to him at the Sessions Court here before judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim today.

However, no plea was recorded.

Hidayat, who studied in Cairo, Egypt was alleged to have entered Syria by taking a flight at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here to provide support to Al-Qaeda by being a member of the Jund Al-Aqsa group, a splinter group of Al-Qaeda. He allegedly committed the offence between Sept 5, 2014 and Sept 1, this year.

He faces the possibility of a lifetime behind bars or a maximum 30-year jail term, or a fine, and is also liable for forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used in connection with the offence under Section 130J(1)(a) of the Penal Code.

His case will be up for mention on Jan 28, next year.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shahrudin Wan Ladin prosecuted while the accused was unrepresented.-nst