3 Singaporeans arrested for alleged ISIS links

Three Singaporeans including a woman were arrested for terrorism-related activities in the country

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Reuters

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore, on November 9, revealed that three people including a woman have been arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for suspected terror activities. As per the MHA, these people have taken part in terrorism-related activities between September and November 2017.

Out of the three accused, Adzrul Azizi bin Bajuri, a 19-year-old young man, was issued with a restriction order. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, he was a former National Serviceman and has also served as a logistics assistant with the SAF. He was later radicalized by the ISIS, and now, he is a strong follower of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

"Adzrul became radicalized through exposure to pro-ISIS online radical material. In 2014, while watching online videos related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he came across ISIS-related videos," read the statement issued by the MHA.

By 2016, Adzrul became obsessed with the ISIS thoughts, and at one point in time, he was ready to visit Syria for fighting, aiming an Islamic State, said the statement. From August 2017, he showed signs of regression, and as a result, he is now being issued with a restriction order and will undergo religious counseling soon, MHA stated.

On the other hand, Abu Thalha bin Samad, aged 25, and Munavar Baig Amina Begam, aged 38, were issued with detention orders. Abu has been a member of the radical organization named Jemaah Islamiyah since his childhood, and he has allegedly undergone weapon training with them. By 2014, he was ready for armed Jihad and was even willing to sacrifice his life for violent causes, said MHA.

"Since 2016, Abu has been teaching in a JI-linked school and had also served on a JI committee which talent-spotted students for membership in the JI", read the statement.

Munavar Baig Amina Begam is basically from India and is a naturalized Singapore citizen. "She is a strong ISIS supporter and was willing to join the world's most notorious terrorist organization for a long time. She was reportedly radicalized by online materials propagating pro-ISIS thoughts," said the statement adding that Amina Begam even shared articles and contents which glorify terrorism on social networking sites to attract young recruits.

"To influence others to support ISIS, Amina shared materials promoting terrorism on social media, which inter alia, encouraged others to fight and die as martyrs. Amina was issued with an OD for a period of two years in Nov 2017," concluded the MHA statement.

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