News update Self-radicalised S'porean held

By Jeremy Au Yong
A FULL-time national serviceman in the Singapore Armed Forces has been detained under the Internal Security Act, said a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday.
Terroristic Activity, Testimony of Dr. Frederick C. Schwarz; Hearings Before the Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate Ninety...
Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid, 20, had become self-radicalised after searching the Internet for jihadist propaganda and videos.

He was influenced by the teachings of radical clerics posted online 'and became convinced that it was his religious duty to undertake armed jihad alongside fellow militants and strive for martyrdom,' said a statement from MHA.

Fadil initiated communication with radical cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki and expressed a desire to undertake militant jihad in places like Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was detained on April 4.

Two other Singaporeans - Muhammad Anwar Jailani, 44, and Muhammad Thahir bin Shaik Dawood, 27 - were also placed on Restriction Orders for two years from June 23, added the MHA statement.

Separately, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member Ibrahim Mohd Noor was released on a Suspension Direction under the ISA on June 1.

Ibrahim, a trained operative, fled Singapore in December 2001 following the arrests of Singapore JI members in an ISD security operation, but was arrested and detained under the ISA in April 2007 in a joint operation with a regional security agency.

'He had cooperated in investigations and shown significant progress in his rehabilitation. He was assessed to no longer pose a security threat that required preventive detention,' said MHA.