Singapore arrests 27 ‘radicalised’ Bangladeshi workers under its Internal Security Act
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 20 January, 2016, 4:31pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 20 January, 2016, 10:27pm
Staff Reporter
From left to right: Alam Khurshed, 27; Alam Mahabub, 34; Ali Abdul, 40. Ali Md Ashraf, 33; Alim Abdul, 32; Aminur, 31. Golam Jilani Abdur Rouf, 27; Haque Md Mofazzal, 29; Hasan Md Mahmudul, 30. Photo: Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs
Twenty-seven Bangladeshi nationals working in the construction industry in Singapore alleged to subscribe to extremist beliefs have been arrested under the country’s Internal Security Act (ISA), said the Ministry of Home Affairs in a press statement on Wednesday.
The group members are said to support the armed jihadi ideology of terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.
The group shared jihadi-related materials among themselves and held weekly meetings and gatherings where they discussed armed jihad and conflicts involving Muslims. They also had plans to recruit other Bangladeshi nationals to increase membership numbers. Several of the suspects had contemplated joining armed jihad in the Middle East.
But while members of the group had intentions to join the conflict, they were not planning to carry out any attacks in Singapore.
The statement also said that the Bangladeshi nationals held grievances against the Bangladeshi government and had sent monetary donations to groups with extremist links.
Jihadi-related material such as books, videos, including footages of children undergoing training in what appeared to be terrorist military camps were recovered from the possession of the group.
All but one of the men arrested have been repatriated to Bangladesh. The remaining Bangladeshi national is currently serving a sentence for attempting to leave Singapore via illegal and clandestine means.
