Former MOE teacher released after ISA detention for planning to join Hamas in Gaza

SINGAPORE: Mohamed Khairul Riduan Mohamed Sarip, a former teacher with the Ministry of Education (MOE), has been released after being detained under Singapore's Internal Security Act (ISA) for terrorism-related offences. The 40-year-old was placed on a restriction order in November 2024, according to a statement issued by the Internal Security Department (ISD) on 9 January 2025. Khairul, who was arrested in October 2022, had been self-radicalised. His intentions were to travel to Gaza to join Hamas and its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades (AQB), to engage in armed conflict against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In its statement, the ISD reported that Khairul had shown significant progress in his rehabilitation and was now deemed no longer a security threat that would necessitate preventive detention. In addition, the ISD revealed that the restriction orders of three other individuals had been allowed to expire, following positive developments in their rehabilitation. These individuals, like Khairul, had previously been detained under the ISA for terrorism-related concerns.

Conditions of a Restriction Order

A restriction order is a legal measure employed by the ISD in cases where an individual is not deemed safe for release without certain limitations. Those placed under restriction orders must comply with several strict conditions. They are prohibited from accessing the internet or social media, issuing public statements, addressing meetings, or being a member of any group, organisation, or association without prior approval from the ISD director. Additionally, they cannot print, distribute, or contribute to publications, nor can they change their residence or employment without consent. Most importantly, they are forbidden from leaving Singapore without approval.

Khairul’s Radicalisation and Arrest

Khairul’s radicalisation journey began in 2007, when he was exposed to videos on Facebook purporting to show Israeli acts of aggression against Palestinians. This content deepened his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and fuelled his conviction that the Palestinian cause needed armed defence. Over time, Khairul became increasingly influenced by videos from radical foreign preachers, further entrenching his desire to engage in violent action. His initial consideration of joining Hamas dates back to 2012 when he saw a Facebook poster calling for volunteers to fight alongside Hamas and AQB. Despite this, he did not act on his intentions at the time. However, with the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2014 and again in 2021, Khairul revisited his plans to travel to Gaza, though travel restrictions prevented him from acting. Nevertheless, his desire to join the conflict remained strong. The ISD noted that Khairul expressed a willingness to follow any orders from Hamas, including participating in armed combat, kidnapping, and executing prisoners of war. In some instances, he even considered becoming a spokesperson or international recruiter for the group. Khairul was eventually arrested in October 2022 and detained in November of that year, becoming the first public servant in Singapore to be arrested under the ISA for terrorism-related offences.

Other Individuals Released from Restriction Orders

Alongside Khairul, the ISD announced that three other Singaporeans, Mohamed Hussain Saynudin, Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, and Murad Mohamed Said, had made sufficient progress in their rehabilitation, leading to the lapse of their restriction orders. Hussain, 51, was a former member of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network. He had received militant training with Lashker-e-Tayyiba in Pakistan and was arrested in February 2007 after leaving Singapore to avoid a security operation against JI members. He was released on a restriction order in 2013, and that order expired in November 2024. Abdul Basheer was another self-radicalised individual. He was first arrested in 2007 after attempting to travel to Pakistan to train with Lashker-e-Tayyiba before joining the Taliban in Afghanistan. After being detained in 2007, he was released in 2010 but was again detained in 2012 after revisiting plans for militant violence. His restriction order lapsed in October 2024. Murad, 52, had been under a restriction order since December 2018. As a former freelance religious teacher, he had propagated extremist beliefs that incited violence and segregation, encouraging his followers to reject Singapore’s secular laws in favour of Syariah law. His views also advocated violence against non-believers and Muslims who had renounced Islam. Murad’s accreditation under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme was revoked by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) in 2018, and his restriction order expired in December 2024.