LOS ANGELES, December 12 (Compass) -- Three Brunei Christians arrested and jailed one year ago for their alleged "cult" activities have been granted conditional releases, sources close to the cases confirmed. But what those conditions are is still unclear.
Malai Taufick Haji Malai Mashor, Mohammed Fredie Chong Abdullah and Yunus Murang were freed on October 18, Brunei's online daily, "BruneiDirect.com," reported the next day, citing a government press release saying the three men had been detained "under the Internal Security Act for their alleged involvement in subversive activities."
Local media reports said the three Christians had taken an oath of allegiance to the Sultan of Brunei and "pledged not to repeat their wrongdoings" at a ceremony held at the Jame Asri Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque on October 18. It was not clear whether the men were forced to recant their Christian faith, although a source who later talked with Taufick by phone said he is "still strong in the faith."
Taufick reportedly "praised the Lord for his release, but said that he is not really free because he is monitored." He told another source that during his first month of detention he was tortured and beaten, but his treatment improved when he was transferred to another prison.
Taufick and Chong are Muslim converts to Christianity and had reportedly been offered "Islamic rehabilitation" during their confinement. Yunus had received a two-year sentence for illegally importing and possessing Indonesian Bibles.
Sources said Taufick, whose family name is well known in business circles in Brunei, was living under one year's house arrest at his parents' home in Kuala Belait and that his movements were being strictly observed. Taufick's wife and children were traveling outside the country when his arrest occurred last December. They have never returned out of fear that Taufick's family would raise the children as Muslims in keeping with Brunei's strict Islamic culture. It is not known when Taufick will be re-united with his wife and four young children.
The conditions surrounding the releases of Yunus and Chong are unconfirmed, but one source said Yunus had not been asked to recant his faith. Yunus reportedly is back at work and may attend church but may not speak in public. He is not allowed to travel outside of Brunei. No information was available on Chong except for a report that his travel was not restricted.
Just after midnight on December 17, 2000, Taufick and Yunus were arrested at Taufick's home in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, by police and officers from the Internal Security Department (ISD). Three bags full of "incriminating evidence" -- Bibles, Christian literature and audio tapes -- were confiscated during the search.
The next day, ISD officers arrested Chong, although his only known connection was a business relationship with Taufick.
A source close to the case said Taufick and Yunus were detained because of their evangelistic activities and their participation in a well-organized prayer program.
On January 30, 2001, four more Christians were arrested, possibly implicated by documents found in Yunus' briefcase. They were released about two weeks later. In the weeks that followed, an unspecified number of Christians were called in for questioning, giving credence to reports that Brunei officials were concerned about "cult" growth threatening the nation's harmony.
Islam is the state religion in Brunei, a Southeast Asian nation on the northern coast of the island of Borneo.