Radicalisation of Bangladeshi workers arrested under ISA dates back to 2013

(THESTRAITSTIMES)InApril2013,terroristgroupIslamicStateannounceditwouldexpanditsoperationsbeyondIraqasthecivilwarinSyriaworsened.

Aroundthesametime,supportersofradicalBangladeshIslamistgroupJamaat-e-Islamiwereengagedinawaveofviolenceinthecountrythatsawattacksonpoliceandminorities.

Thatsameyear,agroupofBangladeshiconstructionworkersinSingaporebeganaclosedreligiousstudygrouptodiscusstheseconflictsthatinvolvedMuslims,andwhethertheyshouldtakeuparms.

Bytheendoflastyear,theirnumberhadgrown.

BetweenNov16andDec1lastyear,26membersandanotherwhonearlyjoinedthemwerearrestedundertheInternalSecurityAct,Singapore'sMinistryofHomeAffairs(MHA)saidyesterday.

Ranginginagefrom25to40,mosthadworkedinSingaporebetweentwoandsevenyears.

Theseworkpermitholderswerenotconcentratedinanyparticularconstructioncompanyorworkplace,norweretheyconcentratedinaparticularresidentialarea.

Buttheymeteveryweektodiscusstakinguparms,andevenusedthepremisesofafewlocalmosqueslocatednearwheresomeofthemwerestaying,theministrysaid.

SingaporeMuslimleadersbelievetheymighthaveslippedundertheradarbecausequiteanumberofBangladeshiworkersgatheratmosques,especiallyonweekends,toworshipanddovolunteerwork.

Languageposesasignificantbarriertoo:MostBangladeshiMuslimsworshiptogetherwithotherMuslims,butwhenitcomestodiscussingreligiousmatters,theyaremorecomfortableusingtheirownlanguage.Thisgroupofradicalisedmenappearedtohavetakenmeasurestobediscreetaboutwhattheydiscussed.

Theycirculatedhardlinematerialsecretlyamongthemselves.

TheyalsocarefullytargetedfellowBangladeshistogrowtheirnumbers.

SomeevendistributedleafletscallingfortheestablishmentofanIslamiccaliphate,accordingtoBangladeshiworkersinterviewedwhoknewsomeofthem.

Amongthemselves,theycirculatedvideosofradicalpreachersaswellasfootageputoutbysupportersofterrorgroupsliketheIslamicStateinIraqandSyria(ISIS).

Theseshowclipsofyoungchildrenundergoingmartialartsaswellasfirearmstraininginwhatappeartobeconflictzones.InthebackgroundarerousingArabicrecitations,alsocommoninvideosputoutbyISIStoinstilfervouramongviewers.

TheministrysaidthemembersofthegroupsupportedtheideologyofarmedjihadespousedbyterrorgroupslikeAl-QaedaandISIS.

TheyalsohadgrievancesagainsttheirgovernmentbackhomeoveritsactionsagainstsomeBangladeshiIslamicgroupsandleaders.TheBangladeshgovernmenthadclampeddownonthesegroupsanddetainedtheirleaders.

Themembersdonatedmoneytooutfitslinkedtothesegroups.

SomealsosupportedtheviolentactionsofextremistswhokilledShi'iteMuslimsbecausetheyconsideredthemtobedeviant.

SowhenthisgroupofBangladeshinationalsgatheredeveryweek,theyencouragedmemberstoreturnhomeandtakeuparmsagainsttheirgovernment.

Itappearstheywentbeyondjustinstillingfervourthroughvideos.

SomemembershadasoftcopydocumentinBengalithatshowed,throughgraphics,howtheycouldattackatargetedvictimandkillhimquicklyandquietly.

Theministrydidnotgivedetailsofhowthegroupwasdetected,butmanySingaporeansandBangladeshisyesterdaydenouncedtheseplansandwererelievedtheywerefoundoutbeforeharmwasdone.