• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Radicalised man repatriated to M’sia following arrest, investigation by ISA; S’porean wife placed on two-year restriction order

by The Online Citizen
09/02/2021
in Investigations & Inquiries
Reading Time: 5 mins read
2
Radicalised man repatriated to M’sia following arrest, investigation by ISA; S’porean wife placed on two-year restriction order

Source: Scanrail / Dreams Time

A 33-year-old Malaysian was repatriated to his home country after being arrested and subsequently investigated under Singapore’s Internal Security Act (ISA).

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a statement on Tuesday (9 Feb) said that Mohd Firdaus bin Kamal Intdzam’s arrest took place in July last year.

His Work Pass was then cancelled, and he was deported to Malaysia after the Internal Security Department (ISD)’s investigations were concluded.

Mohd Firdaus, who previously worked as a cleaner in Singapore, was handed to the Malaysian Special Branch a month later.

According to the MHA, his path to radicalisation began in 2016 when he “turned to the Internet to deepen his religious knowledge” and, in the process, encountered ISIS propaganda online.

“Through sustained exposure to pro-ISIS materials, Firdaus was convinced by early 2018 that ISIS was fighting for Islam, and that its use of violence to create an Islamic caliphate was justified.

“He also regarded ISIS’s self-declared Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (deceased) as the true Islamic ruler,” said MHA.

Even after the collapse of the so-called ISIS “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq, Mohd Firdaus “remained a fervent supporter of ISIS”, the Ministry noted, seeing how he had “actively posted materials promoting ISIS and armed jihad on his social media accounts”.

“He even created an ISIS flag in March 2020, which he hung at home to show his loyalty towards the group,” said MHA.

Mohd Firdaus was reportedly of the view that armed jihad was compulsory for all able-bodied Muslim men, to the extent of being willing to “carry out attacks against countries which he deemed to be oppressing Muslims, or which he perceived to be munafiq (hypocrite) for aligning themselves with the West”.

However, MHA noted that ISD’s investigations did not indicate that he had “made any specific attack plans, or intended to mount any acts of violence in Singapore”.

His 34-year-old Singaporean wife, Ruqayyah binti Ramli, was placed on a two-year restriction order under the ISA, which will prevent her from changing her residence or employment or travelling out of Singapore without the prior approval of the Director of ISD.

She is also prohibited from issuing public statements or addressing public meetings, as well as printing, distributing, contributing to any publication without the prior approval of the Director of ISD.

Ruqayyah is also not allowed to hold office in, or being a member of any organisation, association or group without the prior approval of the Director of ISD.

The housewife and part-time freelance religious teacher’s restriction order began in August last year and will last for two years from that point.

Investigations revealed that Ruqayyah was radicalised by her husband after their marriage in December 2018 despite her initial doubts regarding her husband’s pro-ISIS views.

According to MHA, she began to believe that ISIS’s use of violence against perceived oppressors of Islam, including non-Muslims and Shi’ites, was justified.

Ruqayyah also supported Firdaus’ intentions to join ISIS and take up arms in Syria. She was willing to accompany him to Syria, and intended to bring her two children along.

She believed that her role in the conflict zone would be to take care of the family through cooking and housework and to assist other wounded ISIS fighters.

MHA noted, however, that investigations did not surface any indication that Ruqayyah had attempted to spread her pro-ISIS views to others.

Ruqayyah’s Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) accreditation, obtained in September 2017, has been suspended.

Consequently, she is not allowed to conduct religious classes as part of her RO conditions, said MHA.

Ruqayyah is presently undergoing religious counselling to steer her away from her radical path, the Ministry noted.

S’porean youth detained under ISA over alleged plans to attack Muslims at two mosques

Separately, in the string of recent investigations into alleged terrorism activities in Singapore, the ISD last month revealed that a 16-year-old Singaporean was detained in December last year under the ISA for allegedly drawing up “detailed plans and preparations” to attack Muslims at two mosques in Singapore using a machete.

According to the ISD in a statement on 27 Jan, the youth, who is a Protestant Christian of Indian ethnicity, “is the first detainee to be inspired by far-right extremist ideology” and the youngest individual so far to be detained under the ISA for terrorism-related activities.

Brenton Tarrant, the Australian gunman singlehandedly responsible for the Christchurch mosque massacre that took 51 lives in March 2019, had purportedly influenced the youth’s views.

“He had also watched Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) propaganda videos, and came to the erroneous conclusion that ISIS represented Islam, and that Islam called on its followers to kill non-believers,” the ISD explained, in highlighting the youth’s “strong antipathy towards Islam”.

The youth, said ISD, had planned to carry out his attacks on 15 March this year, on the anniversary of the Christchurch attacks.

“He chose Assyafaah Mosque and Yusof Ishak Mosque as his targets, because they were near his home. He conducted online reconnaissance and research on both mosques to prepare for the attack,” the ISD added.

He had also reportedly “bought a tactical vest from an online platform, and intended to adorn the vest with right-wing extremist symbols, and modify it so that he could strap on his mobile device to livestream the attack”, in a bid to replicate Tarrant’s Christchurch attack, said the ISD.

Prior to settling on the machete, the youth had considered using a rifle similar to that used by Tarrant, the ISD noted.

“He managed to find a prospective seller via a private chat platform, but did not follow through with the purchase when he suspected it was a scam.

“He nevertheless persisted to search for firearms online, and only gave up the idea when he realised that it would be difficult to get his hands on one, given Singapore’s strict gun-control laws,” said the ISD.

The youth had also experimented with making a Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) bomb and “mimicking Tarrant’s plan of setting fire to the mosques with gasoline”.

“He eventually dropped both ideas due to logistical and personal safety concerns,” according to the ISD.

Highlighting the isolated nature of the youth’s actions, the ISD said that its investigation did not reveal any attempt at influencing others with his extreme outlook or to involve others in his attack plans.

“His immediate family and others in his social circles were not aware of his attack plans and the depth of his hatred for Islam,” said the ISD.

The youth’s case, said the ISD, “demonstrates yet again that extreme ideas can find resonance among and radicalise Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion”.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Singapore warns slower economic growth in 2023
Labour

Less than 1 in 10 jobs created in first three quarters of 2022 went to Singaporeans?

28/01/2023
Peru Congress rejects president’s plan for early elections
AFP

Peru Congress rejects president’s plan for early elections

28/01/2023
UMNO purging members as it sacks former health minister Khairy and suspended ex-defence minister Hishammuddin
Malaysia

UMNO purging members as it sacks former health minister Khairy and suspended ex-defence minister Hishammuddin

28/01/2023
WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status
AFP

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023
AFP

Two years after Myanmar coup, UN says situation ‘catastrophic’

27/01/2023
Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health
Community

Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

27/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Singapore warns slower economic growth in 2023

Less than 1 in 10 jobs created in first three quarters of 2022 went to Singaporeans?

28/01/2023
Peru Congress rejects president’s plan for early elections

Peru Congress rejects president’s plan for early elections

28/01/2023
UMNO purging members as it sacks former health minister Khairy and suspended ex-defence minister Hishammuddin

UMNO purging members as it sacks former health minister Khairy and suspended ex-defence minister Hishammuddin

28/01/2023
WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023

Two years after Myanmar coup, UN says situation ‘catastrophic’

27/01/2023
Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

ICC grants new inquiry into Manila’s deadly ‘war on drugs’

27/01/2023
Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service

Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service

27/01/2023

Trending posts

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
36

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
55

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
46

...

Radicalised man repatriated to M’sia following arrest, investigation by ISA; S’porean wife placed on two-year restriction order

Radicalised man repatriated to M’sia following arrest, investigation by ISA; S’porean wife placed on two-year restriction order

by The Online Citizen
09/02/2021
2

...

February 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
« Jan   Mar »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz