2 radicalised Singaporeans detained for supporting ISIS fighters in Syria: Officials

Two radicalised Singaporeans, one of whom was based in Malaysia, have been detained by Singapore authorities for allegedly supporting ISIS fighters in Syria, officials said.

News of these detention came as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) caliphate has been dismantled, with several hundred mostly foreign fighters making their last stand to defend an area under 1 sq km near Syria's border with Iraq, according to media reports.

Businessman Mohamed Kazali Salleh, 48, and his Singapore-based friend Hazim Syahmi Mahfoot, 28, a freelance car exporter, were detained in January for their involvement in terrorism-related activities, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday.

Salleh, who was based in southern Peninsular Malaysian state of Johor, had funded and been in active contact with Syria-based ISIS militant Wan Mohd Aquil Wan Zainal Abidin, also known as Akel Zainal, of Malaysia, it said.

Akel, who was a member of 1990s Malaysian rock band Ukays, reportedly instructed two Malaysian ISIS supporters to attack places of worship and police stations in Malaysia early this year. The plots were foiled when the supporters were arrested last November.

In December, Kazali received instructions from Akel to carry out an attack against a Freemasons centre in Johor Baru, the state capital on the southern end of the Peninsular and closer to Singapore. But it did not follow through as he was afraid to be caught by the authorities, the ministry added.

The Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) also announced on Friday that they have arrested Kazali and five other individuals from the Malaysian states of Johor, Selangor and Sabah in the past two months for their alleged association with militant groups.