They are among the eight who were detained under the Internal Security Act last month

Six of the eight Bangladeshi men detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) last month after they formed a clandestine terror cell here to bring their home country under the Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate were charged with terrorism financing on Friday (May 27) — the first time the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act has been invoked here.

A total of 12 charges were pressed against the men, who had formed the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB) in March, for collecting, giving or possessing monies to “facilitate a terrorist act in Bangladesh”.

It was unclear from court documents how much they had amassed or the specific plans of their intended attacks, which according to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ announcement on their detention earlier this month included hits on key Bangladeshi government and military officials. The charges against the men — who had been found with manuals for making bombs and for weapons — stated amounts ranging from S$60 to S$1,360.

The ISB was the first all-foreigner terror cell detained under the ISA here and the second reported case this year of radicalised individuals involving the Bangladeshi community in Singapore. In January, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revealed that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers here were arrested after they were found to be contemplating waging armed jihad overseas. All of them have been deported.

The ISB was started in March by S-Pass holder Rahman Mizanur, 31, who was one of those charged on Friday. He faces the most number of charges (four), including one for actively inviting members of ISB from Feb 28 to March 27 to give money to be used for carrying out a terrorist act in Bangladesh. The amount he collected from March 20-25 came up to S$1,000, according to court documents.

Mamun Leakot Ali, 29; Miah Rubel, 26; and Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdager, 30, each faces two charges, while the remaining two men, Zzaman Daulat, 34; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29, got one charge each.

The remaining two ISB members detained under the ISA — Sohag Ibrahim and Islam Shariful, both 27 — were not implicated in these terrorism financing criminal proceedings.

The six men charged yesterday were brought to the State Courts in armoured vehicles, and appeared in the dock with at least eight officers from the elite Gurkha Contingent standing guard.

With the exception of Mamun, the men told the court they intend to plead guilty. They will return to court next Tuesday.

Mamun said he wants to claim trial to the terrorism financing charges — he purportedly gave S$500 to his group leader through a colleague named Hossain Shamin, and collected S$300.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said: “We (Hossain and I) both work in the same company, so we had a transaction. An exchange of funds.”

Mamun’s pre-trial conference has been set on June 9. If convicted, the men could be jailed a maximum of 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both, for each charge.

In a statement, the police said: “These six persons are the first to be prosecuted under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. Singapore takes a serious view of any support for terrorism-related activities, including terrorism financing.”

Firm and decisive action will be taken against anyone who gives, collects or possesses any form of property for terrorist purposes, they added.

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Valerie Koh

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