Chitchat ‘I recognise only Syariah law’: Singaporean claims trial after admitting to giving S$450 to ISIS

[bobby]

SINGAPORE — The first Singaporean to be charged with terrorism financing began his trial in a district court on Monday (Jan 13) by admitting to giving S$450 to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis), but claimed trial for his actions because he did not recognise Singapore law.

Imran Kassim, a 36-year-old former managing director of logistics firm Novo Logistics, faces one charge under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act.

He is accused of remitting the money on Oct 31, 2014 through Western Union to a man in Turkey, known as Mohamad Alsaied Almidan, to publish Isis propaganda.

Imran’s trial in open court is the first of its kind here. Another Singaporean was jailed last year, after a closed-door hearing, for giving more than S$1,000 to a Jamaican preacher who had been imprisoned for stirring racial hatred.

Imran will return to court on Tuesday for District Judge Seah Chi-Ling’s verdict. If convicted of the offence of providing property and services for terrorist purposes, he could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both.

PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO ISIS CALIPH

Imran has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since August 2017. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier said that he was radicalised by violent Isis propaganda, and had tried to travel to Syria at least twice in 2014 and 2015 to join the group.

The MHA also said that he pledged allegiance to the Isis' self-declared caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in July 2014.

According to the ministry, he further admitted that he was prepared to attack Singaporean soldiers deployed in the global coalition against Isis, or hold them as hostages to "demand ransom" from the Singapore Government to help boost the group's finances.

Imran also sought to galvanise support for the Isis online, such as by sharing propaganda via various social media accounts that he held under different personas. His radical and pro-militant views caught the attention of people close to him, who then reported him to the authorities, said the MHA.

‘I RECOGNISE ONLY SYARIAH LAW’

On Monday, Imran appeared in the courtroom handcuffed and dressed in a purple jumpsuit, with a skullcap pulled over his eyes. The cap was removed by guards once he was in the dock.

He told District Judge Seah that he would claim trial instead of pleading guilty, saying: “I don’t recognise Singapore laws, only Syariah (Islamic) law… The only thing I will do is I admit I did the transfer and did it to benefit the Islamic State.”

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Khoo said in the prosecution’s opening statement that Imran remitted the money knowing that it would garner more support and raise awareness for Isis.

“Terrorism is a transnational scourge and Singapore takes its duties as a member of the global community seriously in its unending fight against terrorism and, accordingly, terrorism financing,” he added.

The prosecution produced evidence in the form of Western Union records of the transfer, with Imran’s handwriting and signature, as well as several statements taken from Imran by the Commercial Affairs Department.

Imran told the court that they were taken voluntarily and he did not challenge them.

When asked if he wanted to testify in his defence, he responded that he had “nothing to say”, repeating that he “made the transfer and did it to benefit the Islamic State”.

In his closing submissions, he argued that he transferred a “pretty small amount” and gave another reason for doing so ⁠— to protest “Singapore’s participation in the war against Isis”.

 

[laksaboy]

It's a shame he didn't go to Syria and be an ISIS fighter. ISIS values PMETs and degree holders.

There's a good chance he will get promoted to become an officer, if not a general.

 

[bobby]

This m&d got detained under section 55 for more than 2 years liao....

 

[laksaboy]

I recognise only Syariah law

That should be an instant contempt of court charge. He means that the courts, laws and judges of the country are invalid, illegitimate and irrelevant. There's no other way to interpret it.

Not sure what they're waiting for... Yong Pung Sai to come back to life?

 

[Hypocrite-The]

That should be an instant contempt of court charge. He means that the courts, laws and judges of the country are invalid, illegitimate and irrelevant. There's no other way to interpret it.

Not sure what they're waiting for... Yong Pung Sai to come back to life?

Bcos he is not Familee.
Li Shengwu enlists top British lawyer to fight contempt of court case

REUTERS
Published25 September, 2019
Updated 25 October, 2019

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SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s nephew, Mr Li Shengwu, has hired top British lawyer David Pannick to advise him in his contempt of court case.
Mr Pannick is one of the lawyers who, this week, won a landmark case to overturn the British government’s suspension of parliament in the weeks before the deadline to exit the European Union.
Mr Li, 34, wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Sept 25) that he has just filed his defence affidavit, adding that his legal team has taken advice from Mr Pannick over the past two years.
“I’m grateful for Lord Pannick’s guidance and help, even as he has been in the midst of winning a landmark constitutional case in the UK,” Mr Li said.
The contempt of court case is over a Facebook post Mr Li made on July 15, 2017, in which he wrote that the Singapore Government was “very litigious” and has a “pliant court system”.
He was commenting on the dispute between his father, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, and aunt Lee Wei Ling and his uncle over the fate of the home of his grandfather, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, at 38 Oxley Road.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) called the post an “egregious and baseless attack” on the judiciary and started contempt of court proceedings in August that year.
Mr Li, an assistant professor of economics at Harvard University, claimed that the post was shared only with friends.
His lawyers, Mr Abraham Vergis and Ms Asiyah Arif from Providence Law Asia, then challenged an order the AGC had obtained that allowed it to personally serve him papers relating to his case outside of Singapore.
In March last year, the High Court dismissed Mr Li’s application to challenge the order. But in September the same year, a Court of Appeal allowed him to appeal against the High Court’s decision.
On April 1 this year, the apex court dismissed his appeal, ruling that the AGC had properly served him the papers at his workplace in the United States in 2017.

 

[no_faith]

MD of logistics firm only able to afford 450?
Or a S$1 worth of paid-up capital to register your sg co?

 

[Hypocrite-The]

MD of logistics firm only able to afford 450?
Or a S$1 worth of paid-up capital to register your sg co?

Could be high class term for warehouse assistant

 

[syed putra]

Before immigrants came in huge numbers, the sultans already implement syariah law.its the original law of the land.

 

[mojito]

MD of logistics firm only able to afford 450?
Or a S$1 worth of paid-up capital to register your sg co?

Buy one van pay 1 dollar set up company can call yourself Chairman and CEO if u want.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Why is he not executed for treason and giving aid and comfort and abetting the enemy? Treason is capital punishment offence.
Singaporean man jailed 33 months for financing terrorism by funding Islamic State
Imran Kassim is on trial for financing terrorism. (Photo: Facebook/Imran Kassim)Bookmark
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man was sentenced to 33 months' jail on Tuesday (Jan 14) for financing terrorism in the first trial of its kind.
Imran Kassim, 36, was convicted of one count of funding Islamic State (IS) propaganda by sending S$450 to a man named Mohamad Alsaied Alhmidan in Turkey on Oct 31, 2014.
After a short trial that lasted only a few hours, District Judge Seah Chi-Ling found Imran guilty based on his statements to officers, his admissions in court, and a remittance advice and receipt.
He knew that the money would benefit IS, which is an entity within the Al-Qaeda list and clearly a terrorist entity, said the judge.
Imran admitted in his statements that he had sent the money in response to a Facebook post, as he believed the donation would benefit the page holder, whose work was to get support for IS.
He answered that he donated because it would "help spread support for IS", gather more supporters for IS and raise awareness for IS.
The judge also responded to Imran's defence, which he said had two strands.
"First, he claims he is not subject to Singapore law, being subject instead to Islamic Sharia law," said Judge Seah. "The accused does not cite any authority in support of this submission."
He added: "This argument is clearly ... without basis in our laws, and I therefore reject the accused's argument."
Responding to Imran's allegations that there were inconsistencies and "gross exaggerations" in the way IS is portrayed, and that opponents of IS have themselves committed atrocities, the judge said that even if these facts were proven, his arguments were not a defence in criminal law.
The prosecution asked for a sentence of 32 to 33 months' jail, saying that while Imran was the first offender to claim trial for a terrorism financing offence, he was not the first to be prosecuted.
They listed aggravating factors including how Imran carried out the offence in a deliberate fashion, how he donated to "one of the most dangerous terrorist organisations in the world", and how he has displayed "no remorse".
"He does not recognise Singapore law, despite being a Singaporean who has enjoyed Singaporean citizenship his entire life," said the prosecutor.
"Even going so far as to say that he transferred the money to protest Singapore's participation in the war against IS."
ACCUSED HAD INTEREST IN ISIS SINCE 2013
They highlighted that the donations were part of his larger, long-standing plans to support IS.
"Since 2013, the accused began taking an interest in IS and followed
IS videos, including videos on executions conducted by IS," said Mr Khoo and Mr Foo.
Imran tried but failed to join IS in Syria in 2014 under the guise of providing humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees, they said.
He posted his pledge of allegiance to IS on his Facebook in July 2014, admitting that he did so as he thought IS fulfilled the criteria as a caliphate.
The S$450 donation to the man in Turkey was a considered decision made in a deliberate fashion, "consistent with the accused's unabashed and unrepentant support for IS, which persists to this very day", said the prosecution.
Imran said he had nothing to say as he had "said everything I had to say yesterday".
The unrepresented man had declined to take a stand at the start of the trial on Monday when asked if he was pleading guilty or claiming trial.
He said he did not recognise Singapore law and only recognises Islamic law, a point the prosecution used against him in saying he had displayed "no remorse".
FAMILY SAYS THEY DO NOT SUPPORT IMRAN'S ACTIONS
Imran's family members, who declined to be named, told CNA after the conviction that they did not support Imran's actions, but stressed that he had decided not to mount a legal defence as he had purportedly been told by the Internal Security Department (ISD) that he would be detained indefinitely regardless of conviction.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had said in a statement when Imran was charged last year that Imran may be detained further under the Internal Security Act "if he remains a threat" after finishing his jail term if convicted.
"We are not supporting his actions in any shape or form," said a male family member. "It's very clear that he broke the law in (transferring the money)."
He said the family had not expected Imran's actions, and that they had not had physical contact with him for more than two years, touching his hand only briefly during the trial opening on Monday.
The family told reporters outside the court after the sentencing that Imran was "a very principled man" and the kindest person they knew, but that they stood with Singapore against Imran's actions.
"He ultimately wanted to protect people to save civilians and not kill them, but he has sided with an enemy of Singapore known for using fear, intimidation and manipulation," said the family in a statement.
"We fully reject IS as an organisation and the stain they have left on Islam. How do we move forward from here? As a family, we pray for the change in Imran and for his eventual release. As part of society, we pray for greater understanding and respect, so that we can continue to enjoy the incredible peace we have here in Singapore."
The penalties for providing property for the benefit of a terrorist or terrorist entity are a jail term of up to 10 years, a maximum fine of S$500,000, or both.
Source: CNA/ll(rw)

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Jailing zealots like him is useless.
He might do more harm in jail by converting others. Dun forget inside jail a lot of mozzies.
Should just confiscate all his assets and exile him to Syria or the likes

 

[sweetiepie]

KNN there are no terrorist in sg at all else tam chia ter nao sinkies would have been bombed to pieces by now KNN pap is the using this cry wolf method to be the hidden terrorist KNN you think all this anti terrorist exercise and show really will scare the real terrorist meh KNN

 

[syed putra]

Why is he not executed for treason and giving aid and comfort and abetting the enemy? Treason is capital punishment offence.

Treason? The syariah is the originsl law of the land before it was inundated by foreigners.

 

[laksaboy]

Only 33 months? Chickenshit PAP govt.

He's going to do it again, and become even more hardcore when he comes out. Can't wait!

 

[syed putra]

Islamic law can be spplied on muslims otherwise no reason to create muis.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Treason? The syariah is the originsl law of the land before it was inundated by foreigners.

But u always say ah nehs are the original inhabitants of singkieland,,,so why don't u promote Ah Neh laws instead?

 

[searcher1]

The Court should put Mr Imran Kassim on the next flight to Syria. Once he reach the Country, immediate denounce his Singapore Citizenship, make him a stateless person. Yes, Mr Imran will be very glad to be with ISIS & follow their Syriah Law, pledged his allegiance to the Isis' self-declared caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

 

[rushifa666]

Thats fine. send to assad. Execute in 1 day

 

[glockman]

Now that the case is over, and sentencing passed, I don’t see any muslims or prominent muslims denouncing what this criminal did.

 

[syed putra]

He did nothing wrong. He merely donated money for the cause he believed in, its just like contributing to local church or temple.