A group of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees who are being held without trial in Perak's Kamunting Detention Camp have threatened to go on hunger strike unless they are released.

"The initial two-year detention ... had expired. In view of this, we demand the Home Ministry ... to release us immediately, without any condition," said a joint letter signed by16 detainees, a copy of which was sent to malaysiakini .

"Otherwise, we will launch a hunger strike beginning March 1."

A majority of the group were arrested in stages from August to December 2001 for being suspected members of the Kumpulan Mujahiddin Malaysia, including Nik Adli, the son of Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Their three-page letter dated last week was sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also home minister, through a detention camp official.

When their initial two-year detention expired late last year, 14 of the detainees were slapped with a new detention order as the government claimed that the police probe on their alleged link to terrorism was still underway.

'Harakah' demanded

The detainees also called on the authorities to address several other demands pertaining to their living conditions in the camp.

They wanted the right to perform their Friday prayer together in a group.

In addition, they asked for a weekly 90-minute family visit, done without being separated by a mesh wired partition and that their family members be allowed to bring in food and uncensored newspapers.

(Camp authorities usually cut out articles, which are deemed 'sensitive', from the newspapers provided to detainees)

"Since we are PAS members, we also demand that we should be provided with PAS' official tabloid, Harakah ," they said.

Lawyer Edmund Bon, who is representing the detainees, told malaysiakini that the group was dismayed by the government's action to extend their detention.

"They are disappointed that their detention orders were extended on the basis that the government is still investigating (their alleged terror link)," he said.

"If (the government) is still investigating, does that mean all the charges are false and trumped-up?" Bon asked.

Legal action soon

According to him, the detainees also appealed for the detainees to be given education opportunity in the camp.

"They have been sitting in the camp for so long, and some of them hope they could further their studies," he said.

On the next course of action, the lawyer said the legal team is preparing to file the habeas corpus application for 14 of them "very soon".

Habeas corpus

is a writ ordering prisoners to be brought before a court or judge to ascertain if there are any procedural defects which could render their detention unlawful.