Singapore tech-engineer detained for supporting IS

A 33-year-old radicalised Singaporean information technology engineer was detained in August under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for wanting to undertake armed violence in Syria in support of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS), it was reported on Wednesday.

Investigations showed that Ahmed Hussein Abdul Kadir Sheik Uduman was radicalised, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

His path to radicalisation began in 2013 when he turned to the Internet for religious knowledge.

Among other things, he followed the lectures of foreign radical ideologues, such as slain Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki, and several others who have been arrested or imprisoned for inciting violence or espousing support for terrorism, the MHA said.

He grew to believe that the use of violence in the name of religion was justified and by late 2016, he was convinced that he should fight and die as a martyr for IS in its self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria and Iraq, according to MHA.

The ministry said Ahmed maintained regular contact with foreign pro-IS individuals on social media to keep up with the developments in IS. He also tried to influence some of his foreign online contacts to follow the violent teachings of the radical ideologues whom he had been following, because he wanted them to support ???????IS.

Meanwhile, an Order of Detention against Indian-origin woman Munavar Baig Amina Begam, 39, was suspended in July, the MHA added.

A naturalised Singaporean originally from India, she was radicalised by a foreign contact online, who shared pro-IS materials with her, according to Channel News Asia report.

Amina was detained in November 2017 for supporting IS and harbouring an intention to make her way to Syria to join the terrorist group.

She was released from detention after it was assessed that she no longer posed an imminent security threat that required her to be placed in preventive detention, MHA said.

At the time of her detention last year, Amina was a housewife intended to join IS in the conflict zone.

Amina was prepared to undergo military training and fight for the terrorist group in the Middle East if called upon, MHA said in an earlier news release, adding that she also shared materials promoting terrorism on social media.

Separately, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) reminded the Muslim community to seek knowledge from credible sources, in particular from 'Asatizah' or religious teachers registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme.

"This latest case of self-radicalisation reinforces the danger of seeking religious knowledge from the Internet," said MUIS, one of Singapore's state-linked institutions.

"It is possible for individuals to be swayed by the narratives of foreign radical ideologues, who misinterpret the religion to incite violence and promote terrorism.