SIX radicalized Bangladeshi men have become the first to be charged under Singapore’s Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act for supplying properties to be used for terrorist means today.
The six men, part of a group plotting to establish an Islamic State in Bangladesh, were detained under the Internal Security Act in April.
According to Channel News Asia (CNA), the men were identified as Rahman Mizanur, Mamun Leakot Ali, Miah Rubel, Zzaman Daulat, Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul lslam Sowdagar, and Sohel Hawlader lsmail Hawlader.
A police statement confirmed the men have been charged with “providing and/or collecting property for terrorist purposes”.
Two of the six men, Rubel and Sowdagar, have been additionally charged for “possession of property for terrorist purposes”.
The group was set up by Mizanur, 31, who holds a Singaporean S-pass that allows mid-level skilled workers to work legally in the country. All the other men held proper work permits, working in construction and marine industries.
According to CNA reporter Liyana Othman, there are another two Bangladeshi nationals detained under the ISA who have yet to be charged.
Recap: 8 radicalised Bangladeshi nationals detained under Internal Security Act in April for planning terrorist attacks back home
— Liyana Othman (@LiyanaOthmanCNA) May 27, 2016
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the group were planning attacks on several possible target areas in their home country and had documents on how to make weapons and bombs among their other extremist materials.
Funds raised to buy firearms in order to carry out their attacks were seized by the MHA.
In January, 26 Bangladeshi radicals were arrested and deported from Singapore after authorities found they were members of a closed religious group that studied extreme beliefs and teachings of radical ideologies.
Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the time that the men were a serious threat to the country, and added: “Radicalization and terrorism must never take root in Singapore.”
SEE ALSO: 26 Bangladeshi radicals deported from Singapore possessed book on ‘silent killing’
A document containing graphic images and instructions on how to conduct “stealth killings” were found among the group’s possessions.
One of the disturbing images found in the document show a man killing another with a knife while holding a hand over his victim’s mouth.
A diagram from the book, ’21 Techniques of Silent Killing’, by Master Hei Long.
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