In April 1994 a number of Malaysian students and members of
Darul Arqam were arrested during an Islamic fundamentalist demonstration in Cairo
The sect-
also
know as Al-Arqam---was banned in Malaysia in August 1994
after prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had described it as a threat to national security;
in the following month, Ashaari was detained after being deported from exile in Thailand