3 Singaporeans dealt with under ISA for terror-related activities: MHA

SINGAPORE: Three Singaporeans - two men and a woman - were dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) between September and November this year for terror-related activities, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced in a media release on Thursday (Nov 9).

One of them was issued with a Restriction Order. The other two, including a 38-year-old housewife, were given a Detention Order.

Of those detained, Abu Thalha Samad was found to be a member of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). The 25-year-old was educated in JI-linked schools in the region from a young age, MHA said, adding that he also went through paramilitary training in some of the schools he attended.

"In 2014, he took bai’ah (pledge of allegiance) and became a JI member. He understood it to mean that he was duty-bound to carry out whatever instructions the JI leaders had for him, including performing armed jihad and sacrificing his life for the JI’s violent cause," MHA said.

He has been teaching in a JI-linked school since 2016 and had also served in a committee which was involved in spotting students for membership in the terror group.

MHA added that it worked together with a government in the region in August this year to deport Abu Thalha to Singapore, where he was arrested under the ISA for his involvement in a terrorist organisation.

His Detention Order started in September this year for a period of two years.

The female detainee dealt with under ISA is 38-year-old housewife Munavar Baig Amina Begam, who is an Islamic State (IS) supporter and harboured the intention to join the terror group in the conflict zone, according to MHA.

Amina, a naturalised Singaporean originally from India, was radicalised by a foreign contact online, who shared pro-IS materials with her.

“She was radicalised to the extent that she was prepared to undergo military training and take up arms to fight for ISIS in the Middle East if called upon by ISIS to do so,” said MHA.

She also shared on social media materials promoting terrorism. This month, she was issued a Detention Order for a period of two years.

The third Singaporean dealt with is Adzrul Azizi Bajuri. The 19-year-old was handed a Restriction Order in September after becoming radicalised by pro-IS material online, MHA said.

A former full-time National Serviceman who served as a Logistics Assistant in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), he came across IS-related material in 2014 while watching videos related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict online.

He then became radicalised through continued exposure to these materials.

"In mid-2016, Adzrul considered fighting for ISIS in Syria, as he saw the armed conflict there as a sectarian struggle between Sunnis and Shias. From August 2017 onwards, he started having some doubts about the legitimacy of ISIS’s ideology and its violent tactics," MHA said, adding that Adzrul will be required to undergo counselling, including religious counselling.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, said these cases were "another reminder that (the) community requires support and guidance from sound and credible religious sources".

He also warned against underestimating the influence of online sources, urging the community to "be very discerning" about what they see on the Internet.

Meanwhile, a Restriction Order (RO) issued in 2013 against Mustafa Kamal Mohammad, 62, was allowed to lapse in September this year, said MHA.

Mustafa was a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"While on RO, he was cooperative and responsive to rehabilitation efforts. As such, he no longer requires supervision under the RO regime," MHA said.