Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said although the government in principle does not negotiate with terrorists, it was forced to do so in the MH17 tragedy.

“With regard to the case of MH17, this was an unprecedented tragedy that left us with no other option but to engage with all parties concerned in Ukraine,” he wrote in a letter to Malaysiakini, today.

His full letter answering questions raised by in the article entitled ‘Minister, who really is ISIS?’ in published on the news portal.

“This engagement was done with the sole purpose of recovering the remains of the passengers on board MH17. Extraordinary situations warrant extraordinary measures,” he wrote.

Anifah said Malaysia has ratified or acceded to 15 international instruments concerning terrorism and human rights, and is at various stages of consideration of the remaining instruments.

He said Malaysia condemns terrorist groups like the Boko Haram, ISIS, ISIL and the Yemei pirates and added that it will arrest anyone suspected of being a terrorist in the country.

Acknowledging the recent cases of Malaysians joining groups like ISIL and ISIS, he said since early 2014, the government have conducted operations to arrest Malaysians and foreigners living in Malaysia for suspected terrorist activities.

“Malaysia stand strongly on condemning any act of terrorism and violence by the ISIL as militant and terrorist group which have caused injuries and losses to the innocent civilians in Iraq,” he said.

He said Malaysia also strongly supported the Resolution 2170 by the United Nations pertaining ISIL or ISIS and Malaysia abhors and does not condone terrorism and extremism.

He said the government had also called for a Global Movement of the Moderates and would continue to advocate for moderation and tolerance and reject extremism and radicalism in all its forms.

“As a peace-loving country that practices moderation, we do not condone all forms of terrorism or extremism by any party, including its own nationals,” he said.

“We believe in a multifaceted approach in combating terrorism by addressing the underlying contributing factors that support terrorism; undertaking strict and firm enforcement measures; adopting and implementing legislative measures; enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies; and enhancing inter-agency cooperation,” he wrote.

He said the use of force alone cannot address terrorism issues.

“There is a need to undertake developmental efforts that would address social and economic needs, which is, a dominant factor for people engaging in terrorism. Winning the hearts and minds of the people is more effective than all other measures combined,” he added.

On the possible threats by jihadists in Malaysia, Anifah said the government is constantly monitoring the situation and is on alert to terrorism activities.

He also promised to take necessary action against any potential threats including questionable activities