He was a skilled and educated Bangladeshi national who came to work in Singapore on an S-pass.

Not long after, in January this year, Rahman Mizanur, 31, started recruiting other Bangladeshis to form the beginnings of a terror cell.

By March, he managed to convert seven of his compatriots to his radical leanings of using violence to fulfil their agenda.

Making their intentions clear, the radicalised group called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB).

Last month, all eight men, who were employed in the construction and marine industries, were detained by the Internal Security Department (ISD) under the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement yesterday.

The other seven detainees were work permit holders – Mamun Leakot Ali, 29; Sohag Ibrahim, 27; Miah Rubel, 26; Zzaman Daulat, 34; Islam Shariful, 27; Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 30; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29.

ISIS

According to MHA, they had wanted to join the notorious terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) with the intention of overthrowing the Bangladeshi government, and then establish an Islamic state that would become part of ISIS’ self-declared caliphate.

The detentions come at a time of concern that ISIS is winning recruits from Bangladesh, where radicals had recently carried out deadly attacks on minorities.

Investigations into the ISB also led to the repatriation of five Bangladeshi workers, who were not involved in the terror cell but possessed or proliferated jihadi-related materials or supported the use of armed violence in pursuit of a religious cause.

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

The ministry’s announcement yesterday came mere months after 27 Bangladeshi construction workers in Singapore were arrested and deported towards the end of last year for terror links and possession of materials on terrorist propaganda.

In March, the MHA also revealed that four Singaporeans had been dealt with under the ISA for taking part in violence or intending to do so in armed conflicts overseas.

MHA warned in its statement: “Any person, foreigner or otherwise, who engages in any activity that is inimical to Singapore’s national security, and racial and religious harmony will be firmly dealt with under the law.”

Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised, or is engaging in terrorist activities or propagating extremist teachings, should promptly inform the ISD on 1800-2626-473 or the police on 999.

The plan: Radical materials used to recruit members

He would attack any place in the world – including Singapore – if he were asked to by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

This was part of Rahman Mizanur’s plans as leader of the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB).

But so far, there is no specific indication of Singapore being a selected target, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in its statement.

He started recruiting members to join ISB in January, using the radical materials of ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

Cover page of the bomb-making instruction manual found in the possession of Rahman Mizanur. The Bengali text at the top right of the bomb-making manual reads “How to make explosives through action and reaction?”, while the text in the middle reads “Ammunition-related Bengali research oriented book”. Photo: MHA

The Internal Security Department (ISD) later recovered a “significant amount” of such materials from Rahman, who had entered Singapore on an S-Pass to work.

Self-radicalised individuals like Rahman are usually brainwashed as students in religious institutes run by Islamic terrorist groups back home, said Mr A.K.M. Mohsin, the editor of Banglar Kantha, Singapore’s only Bengali newspaper.

And when they come to Singapore, they will try to spread terrorist propaganda to their compatriots.

Mr Mohsin, who has worked with Bangladeshi workers for the past two decades, told The New Paper yesterday: “Some of them even collect donations every month and send the money home to fund terrorism plans.

“They have no destructive intentions here. They just want to influence others to join them.”

Weekly meetings to recruit more people to their cell are usually held near mosques or near their living quarters.

Mr Mohsin said: “They look like they are talking to each other, but they are actually trying to get new members…

“They want people to believe in their ideology. But what (the radicals) publicise about terrorism and destruction is not real Islam. The ISIS ideology is about bullying people,” said Mr Mohsin.

Rahman and his group’s original intention was to join ISIS as foreign fighters.

OVERTHROW BY FORCE

But after finding it difficult to make their way to the Middle East, they focused their efforts on returning home to overthrow the government by force.

ISD investigations revealed the possible targets of Rahman and his group from a document recovered from him.

Titled “We Need for Jihad Fight”, it contained a list of people in Bangladesh who could be attacked, including government and military officials, those in the media and disbelievers of Islam.

Documents on weapons and a bomb-making manual were also found on Rahman.

To execute their planned terror attacks in Bangladesh, the group raised money in Singapore to buy firearms. The money has been seized, said MHA.

Several of the eight detainees may be prosecuted for terrorism financing, it added.

The community: ‘Most of us just want to live here peacefully’

Late last year, 27 Bangladeshis were arrested and deported for terror links.

In April, another eight were detained under the Internal Security Act, the Home Affairs Ministry revealed yesterday.

To Mr A.K.M. Mohsin, the editor of Singapore’s only Bengali newspaper, the two incidents are enough to give the Bangladeshi community here a bad name.

“The local community will now look at us as if we are terrorists… It is very shameful for us,” he said.

Dr. A.K.M. Aminullah, the general-secretary of the Singapore Bangladesh Society, said: “It is unfortunate. We are very shaken and upset by the news. If (these arrests) happen repeatedly, it is bad for our reputation in Singapore.

“Most of us just want to live here peacefully.”

DORMITORY VISITS

The society is looking at what else it can do beyond the three to four dormitory visits it conducts jointly with the High Commission of Bangladesh every year.

During the visits, Bangladeshi workers are discouraged from taking part in terror-related activities. They are also educated on the laws in Singapore.

“We will discuss this issue (of terrorism) during our upcoming meeting with the council members to see what else we can do… It is a topic we must discuss,” Dr Aminullah said.

Mr Mohsin has used his newspaper, Banglar Kantha, to remind his readers not to take part in terror-related activities.

Mr Muhammad Faizal Othman, who chairs the Taman Jurong Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle, cautioned Singaporeans against marginalising the Bangladeshi community.

“I think this is a battle, a war, that the extremists are making. For our side, we have to respond to tell them that we are a peaceful community and they cannot rob this peace,” he said.

“We will always be vigilant and ensure our social fabric isn’t torn.”

Mr Sazzad Hossain, 22, chief executive of the Social Development Initiative Academy, which conducts English lessons for migrant workers, also spoke up for the Bangladeshi community.

“I think there are two sides to the story. Most Bangladeshis are peace-loving… More than 300 workers have graduated from our academy. They are really nice people,” he said.

Adding that it was important to engage migrant workers and make them feel included so they would not think about harming others, Mr Sazzad said: “I’ll tell (those who stereotype Bangladeshi workers) to interact with the workers in person. Their views will change.

“They will realise that an insignificant portion of migrant workers turn to extremist activities.

“It is our responsibility to help turn them away from that.”

Keppel Club’s bid to recover alleged losses from suspected membership fraud has widened to include three more defendants in its High Court suit against seven other parties.

Among the trio added is retiree Lawrence Ng, the husband of former veteran Keppel staff member Setho Oi Lin, 67, who is the first defendant in the case.

Keppel, Singapore’s oldest country club, was rocked in 2014 by revelations of the alleged fraud. It led to the sacking of Ms Setho, who started with the club as a clerk in 1966 and rose to supervise its membership department.

The club is suing Ms Setho, four others and two firms implicated in the alleged membership fraud, said to involve about $37.3 million in lost revenue. A probe in 2014 detected “irregularities” in more than 1,300 membership transfers at the club spanning a decade from 2004.

Among other things, some membership files contained only the records of payment of the food & beverage deposit to the club, not the membership transfer fees.

Keppel, which held its annual general meeting on April 20, notified members it had obtained leave from the High Court last month to include the additional defendants.

The club also obtained orders to freeze the assets of two of the three new defendants, including Mr Ng, which will prohibit them from disposing of or dealing with their assets up to the value of $19 million until the case is resolved.

The club obtained a similar freeze order against Ms Setho and two others last year.

Mr Ng, defended by lawyers Chong Jia Hao and Letchumanan Devadason, is expected to file his defence by next week.

Keppel’s lawyers from Lee & Lee allege in court papers filed last month that Mr Ng was an accomplice and wrongful beneficiary of his wife’s alleged fraud.

Keppel claims that as her husband, Mr Ng knew of the salaries she earned throughout the years as well as her fiduciary duties.

According to court papers, he was also a spouse member who spent much time on Keppel’s premises and knew there were no legitimate reasons she would have large amounts of monies.

Mr Ng is the second family member of Ms Setho implicated in the High Court suit.

Her younger brother Setho Wai Meng, 58, had been earlier named as the fourth defendant when Keppel first filed the suit last year. It alleges he was among others who had received monies and benefited unjustly at the club’s expense.

Mr Setho, defended by lawyer Tito Isaac, is denying the claims other than to accept that he did receive cheque payments from 2012 which Ms Setho requested to bank into his accounts. He then remitted the sums to her after the cheques were cleared, keeping some of the amounts, which she decided, as a gift from her.

Keppel alleges he allowed his bank accounts to be used as a conduit for wrongful payments.

One of the 10 defendants, Madam Young Ah Whatt, has died, but Keppel obtained a court order last month to extend the validity of the court papers by another six months, while it determines the appropriate legal representative to serve the papers on so the club can recover sums from her estate.

Updated findings showed she was said to have received over $400,000 from her alleged involvement in the suspected fraud.

Meanwhile Ms Setho, who is denying the claims, has filed a counterclaim against the club for wrongful dismissal and lost wages. Defended by Harry Elias Partnership lawyer Philip Fong, she has hit back at the club in defence documents filed, pointing out that she was not the sole custodian of membership files and highlighting audits that cleared the club’s accounts every year.

The run-up to the case is ongoing and the next pre-trial conference is due later this month.

This article was first published on May 4, 2016.
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Veteran actress Neo Swee Lin, known for her role as Ah Ma in TV series Phua Chu Kang, made a surprise appearance at the Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) rally yesterday.

In an emotionally-charged speech at a field near Bukit Batok Industrial Park A, Neo, 53, said that she was neither an SDP member nor a politician.

She said she was first introduced to politics when she played former political detainee Teo Soh Lung in a 2011 play, Cooling-Off Day.

She said in English: “(Teo) is my hero. She reminded me that politics is and should be part of our life.”

Neo’s speech, peppered with jokes and jibes – including one at Mediacorp actress Rui En’s recent mishap with a motorcycle – was warmly received by the crowd, which almost covered the entire field.

Neo also poked fun at herself while addressing the comment made by Ms Grace Fu, Minister of Culture, Community and Youth, on the unemployment status of SDP chief Chee Soon Juan.

The freelance actress said that she was often asked if she was still an actress by passers-by who recognised her on the street.

She said: “You don’t see me on TV any more, but it doesn’t mean I’m not acting. I’ve not held many full-time jobs in my life. But trust me, I’ve been working.”

Neo, the only speaker last night who was not an SDP member, also read out an open letter, expressing sadness at the state of the campaign, which the letter described as “marred primarily by the vilification” of Dr Chee.

“As an artist, I was so ashamed when I saw that my own Minister of Culture attacked Dr Chee personally. Then my own Prime Minister did the same,” said Neo.

The letter was penned by a group that included academics, lawyers and artists.

Ms Fu had said Dr Chee had not “held a steady job for many years”, while PM Lee Hsien Loong had called Dr Chee “hypocritical” for allowing his party members to make fun of former Bukit Batok MP David Ong’s alleged extra-marital affair and had urged the public to refrain from mounting personal attacks on Mr Ong.

Neo and her husband, actor Lim Kay Siu, 56, are known supporters of SDP. Lim was also spotted among the SDP members last night.

Neo, who first met Dr Chee during the 2011 General Election, said she was surprised to find that he was “a nice man and a gentleman”.

She said: “I’m moved by his passion and impressed by his dedication. I’m here today because I believe he will stand up for the people who have no one to represent them.

“And through the hardship he had to endure, I think he has become a wise statesman.”

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
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