27 radicalised Bangladeshis arrested in Singapore under Internal Security Act: MHA

SINGAPORE – The Internal Security Act (ISA) arrested twenty seven (27) male Bangladeshis worker in Singapore. It was the first uncovered jihadist terror cell that comprises foreigners.

The investigations showed that the group arrested has been meeting subsequent to 2013, the group supported the armed terrorist groups such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the Al – Qaeda.

“Few of them were deliberated as the waging armed jihad workers, but they are not planning for any terrorist attacks in Singapore” – Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The Bangladeshis works as construction worker, were arrested last year between November 16 and December 1. Most of them had stayed and worked in Singapore for seven years.

“They were a serious threat to Singapore, even though they were plotting "nefarious activities" in their home country.” – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

He added that Singapore is tightening its security and acting to protect its racial and religious harmony.

"Radicalization and terrorism must never take root in Singapore," said PM Lee. 

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam warned that the men could have easily changed their minds and attacked Singapore. 

"Our security agencies have done well in picking them up early. I had said yesterday ( that the threat of terrorism is real. We are getting daily reminders of that," Mr Shanmugan wrote in his Facebook post.

Of the 27, 26 were members of a closed religious study group that subscribed to extremist beliefs and teachings of radical figures like Anwar al-Awlaki, an American and Yemeni Islamic lecturer alleged to have ties with militant group Al-Qaeda. Awlaki was killed in a drone strike in Yemen in September 2011.

The remaining man was not a member of the study group, but was discovered to have been undergoing radicalisation. He supported extremist preachers and possessed jihadi-related material.

All 27 have had their work passes cancelled, and 26 of them have since been repatriated to Bangladesh, where the authorities were informed of the circumstances of their repatriation.

The last person is now in prison for attempting to leave Singapore illegally after learning of his fellow members' arrests. He will also be repatriated once he completes his sentence.

This is the first time Singapore has uncovered a jihadist terror cell comprising foreigners. Previously, a few Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah members had been involved in terrorist incidents overseas, said MHA in response to media queries.

The group held weekly meetings and gatherings at a few mosques that were located near where some of them were staying. At these meetings, they discussed armed jihad and conflicts that involved Muslims, said MHA in response to media queries.

They were not employed by any particular company.  "There was also no concentration of the group members in any particular place of abode," MHA added.

Source(s): Link