A Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson has issued a clarification regarding the 23-year-old Singaporean man who brought along Singapore Armed Forces-issued No. 4 uniform and combat boots to Syria to fight the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Wang Yuandongyi was one of the four men dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for undertaking or intending to undertake violence in overseas armed conflicts.

Wang is the first ethnic Chinese placed under Restriction Order

Wang was arrested under the ISA in February 2016 and placed on a Restriction Order under the ISA for two years in March 2016.

On the request of Singapore, Wang was located by the authorities of the third country and was turned back to Singapore.

He is a naturalised Singapore citizen of People's Republic of China origin and obtained Singapore citizenship in 2014.

He is the first ethnic Chinese placed under a Restriction Order for intending to undertake violence in overseas armed conflicts.

Wang is not a Muslim.

He had arrived in Singapore as a child and was educated here, and subsequently, completed his National Service stint.

As part of the rehabilitation programme, Wang will be given psychological counselling to steer him away from resorting to violence. He will also be closely monitored by the authorities under the Restriction Order regime.

Other three men dealt with under ISA

The MHA also said that the three other men, Mohammad Razif bin Yahya (Razif), 27; Amiruddin bin Sawir (Amiruddin), 53; and Mohamed Mohideen bin Mohamed Jais (Mohideen), 25, had studied at the same institution in Yemen.

Razif underwent sniper training; Amirruddin and Mohideen were taught to use the rifles assigned to them.

Razif and Amiruddin returned to Singapore separately between April and June 2015. Razif and Amirrudin were arrested under the ISA in Singapore in July 2015 and were each issued a two-year Order of Detention in August 2015.

Both of these men were involved in fire-fights using weapons issued to them when in Yemen.

So far, 72 people have been detained under the ISA for terrorism-related activities since 2002.

About 80 percent of them have since been released.

There are presently 14 persons issued with Orders of Detention, one on Suspension Direction and 22 persons issued with Restriction Orders.

Related articles:

23-year-old S’porean man brought along SAF No. 4 & combat boots to fight ISIS in Syria

4 S’poreans dealt with under ISA: 2 fought in Yemen, 1 didn’t fire weapon, 1 wanted to fight ISIS

Differences and similarities between today’s ISA arrests and the ones in January

Top photo via screengrab from YouTube

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