8 Bangladeshi nationals in Singapore detained under ISA; third ISD announcement this year

One of them was willing to carry out attacks anywhere on behalf of ISIS.

Jonathan Lim | Martino Tan | May 03, 2016, 04:00 PM

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has released a statement announcing that the Internal Security Department has "detained eight radicalised male Bangladeshi nationals under the Internal Security Act (ISA)."

ISD-bangladeshis Clockwise from top left: Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29; Zzaman Daulat, 34; Rahman Mizanur, 31; Sohag Ibrahim, 27; Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 30; Miah Rubel, 26; Mamun Leakot Ali, 29; Islam Shariful, 27.

All eight men were working in the local construction and marine industries. Rahman Mizanur was an S-Pass holder while the other seven were Work Permit holders.

 

The Islamic State in Bangladesh

According to MHA, Mizanur had set up a group named "Islamic State in Bangladesh" (ISB) in March 2016. All eight men arrested are part of ISB. There are at least two more members of the ISB in Bangladesh according to them.

MHA revealed that the eight men had wanted to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as foreign fighters but felt it would be difficult to get to Syria. Instead, they planned on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow its government by force, and to establish an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS' self-declared caliphate.

"Would carry out an attack anywhere"

MHA also shared that Rahman said he "would carry out an attack anywhere if he was instructed by ISIS to do so."

However, MHA added that there were no specific indications that Singapore had as yet been selected as a target.

 

Possible targets in Bangladesh

Cover page of a rifle user manual found in the possession of Rahman Mizanur. (Photo courtesy of the MHA) Cover page of a rifle user manual found in the possession of Rahman Mizanur. (Photo courtesy of the MHA)

Though there were no indications that Singapore was a target, the group did have materials that suggested possible targets in Bangladesh.

In a document titled "We Need for Jihad Fight" recovered from Rahman, a list titled "Target of Enimies Forces Need to Kill" suggested 13 possible groups of people ISB was going to target. It included the police, military forces, as well as politicians, "Media Peoples", and "Disbelievers (Hindu, Christian, Buddhists, Nastiks, Munafiks, etc.)"

Cover page of a bomb-making manual found in the possession of Rahman Mizanur. (Photo courtesy of the MHA) Cover page of a bomb-making manual found in the possession of Rahman Mizanur. (Photo courtesy of the MHA)

Other documents Rahman possessed included an instruction manual for a rifle and a bomb-making guide. He also had "a significant amount of ISIS and Al-Qaeda radical material which he used to recruit ISB members in Singapore from January 2016."

ISB a threat to Singapore

MHA said that the ISB members planned to recruit more Bangladeshi nationals working in Singapore to grow the group. ISB also raised monies, which has been seized by MHA, to buy firearms to carry out their terror attacks in Bangladesh. Several of the eight men detained may be liable for prosecution for terrorism financing.

MHA said that ISB poses a security concern to Singapore because of its support for ISIS and its readiness to resort to the use of violence overseas.

 

Five other Bangladeshi nationals repatriated

Apart from the eight men detained, another five Bangladeshi nationals were investigated under the ISA, but were found to not be involved in the ISB. They did, however, possess and/or spread jihadi-related materials, or "supported the use of armed violence in pursuit of a religious cause."

They have already been repatriated to Bangladesh.

 

Third announcement this year

This is the third time in 2016 that MHA had announced that individuals have been detained by the ISD due to terror links.

The first announcement came in January where MHA announced that 27 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested between Nov. 16 and Dec. 1, 2015.

The second announcement was in March where four Singaporeans were arrested for undertaking or intending to undertake violence in overseas armed conflicts. One of the four had wanted to join the fight against ISIS.

 

Top photos courtesy of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.