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A 27-year-old Bangladesh national in Singapore was charged in court on Thursday (Dec. 23) for terrorism financing.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ahmed Faysal had reasonable grounds to believe that the transferred monies would, in part, benefit a terrorist entity.

This is an offence under Singapore's Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA).

Was arrested in November 2020 under the Internal Security Act

Faysal was previously arrested in November 2020 under Singapore's Internal Security Act (ISA) for terrorism-related activities.

He was issued with an Order of Detention.

Prior to his arrest, he had been working as a construction worker in Singapore since early 2017.

Radicalised in 2018

MHA said that Faysal became radicalised in 2018 and was attracted to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate in Syria.

In mid-2019, he shifted his allegiance to Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), another militant group fighting to establish an Islamic caliphate in Syria.

HTS is designated as a terrorist entity under the United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to the prevention and suppression of terrorism and terrorist financing.

A parallel investigation by the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) found that in 2020, Faysal had allegedly transferred up to S$891 on 15 occasions through online platforms to fundraising campaigns for Syria-based organisations.

MHA said: "He was aware that these monies could, either entirely or in part, be used to benefit the HTS' cause in Syria."

"The act of providing money that one has reasonable grounds to believe will benefit terrorist entities, regardless of the amount and purpose, is a serious offence under the TSOFA," added MHA.

Order of Detention will be cancelled if he's convicted and sentenced

If convicted and sentenced to prison, the Order of Detention against Faysal will be cancelled, and he will serve the sentence imposed by the Court.

To prevent him from spreading his radical ideas to other inmates, he will also be held separately whilst serving his prison sentence.

"Members of the public are reminded not to remit money of any amount or provide any support through the provision of services, supplies, or any material to a terrorist organisation or for facilitating or carrying out any terrorist act," said MHA.

Anyone convicted of providing property and services for terrorist purposes can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both.

MHA added in its press release:

"Terrorism and terrorism financing are grave threats to domestic and international security, and global action is required to deprive terrorist groups of funding and materials.

Singapore is part of this global effort and is strongly committed to combating terrorism financing, regardless of whether the monies are used to facilitate terrorist acts locally or abroad."

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Top images courtesy of MHA.