Malaysian arrested in Singapore under ISA last month and repatriated: MHA

(File photo: Getty images)
(File photo: Getty images)

A Malaysian man who had access to the restricted-entry Changi Airfreight Centre was arrested in January this year under the Internal Security Act (ISA), said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday (8 Feb).

Muhammad Nur Hanief bin Abdul Jalil, 33, was employed as a driver for an airfreight company when he was detained. He was repatriated to Malaysia this month.

“Investigations have revealed that since 2008, Hanief perused online materials of foreign extremist preachers including Imran Hosein, Zakir Naik and Anjem Choudary,” said MHA.

He was also influenced by the “segregationist and divisive” teachings of Ismail Menk and Haslin Baharim, the ministry added.

Through sustained exposure to such materials, Hanief became convinced that he should travel to Syria or Palestine to participate in the conflicts in those places, MHA noted.

In late 2017, following turmoil in his personal life and at work, Hanief finally acted on those convictions, said the ministry. He contacted Haslin Baharim seeking advice on whether he would become a martyr if he were to be killed in conflict in Syria. Haslin told him that it was “God’s will” if one should die as a martyr – which Hanief took to mean “yes”.

According to MHA, Hanief had held various jobs Singapore since 2011. There was no indication that he intended to carrying out any terrorist attack here, but his radicalisation “renders him a security threat to Singapore”. His work pass was thus cancelled, and he has since returned to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the MHA said that Restriction Orders (ROs) under ISA issued against four individuals were allowed to lapse upon expiry in Dec 2017. They are: Muhammad Zamri bin Abdullah, 36; Zakaria bin Rosdan, 27; and Muhammad Khairul Sofri bin Osman, 33; and Mohd Azmi bin Ali, 49.

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