S'porean detained for 2 yers under ISA

SINGAPORE - Singaporean Asyrani Hussaini, 24, has been detained for two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for attempting to engage in violence in Thailand, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday.

He was detained in March.

Asyrani had sneaked into southern Thailand illegally to link up with Thai insurgents after failing to contact them through other means, said the MHA in a statement. He was unsuccessful and entered another regional country illegally where he was arrested and convicted for immigration offences.

After completing his sentence, he was deported to Singapore and was arrested under the ISA.

Describing Asyrani as "self-radicalised", the MHA said he "was influenced by the radical ideology he had read online".

Another Singaporean, Mustafa Kamal Mohammad, 58, was placed on Restriction Order (RO) for two years from Tuesday.

Under an RO, a person must abide by several conditions and restrictions, such as not changing his residence or employment or travelling out of Singapore without prior approval.

Mustafa was a member of the militant Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf) in the Philippines. He had undergone military training at Milf's Camp Abu Bakar and raised funds for Milf.

He left Singapore in November 2001 and decided to remain overseas upon learning of the security operation against the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) that commenced in December 2001. He eventually returned to Singapore in January this year to account for his past involvement with the militant group.

The MHA also said that three individuals were released from detention between April and July. They are Jahpar Osman, Samad Subari and Abdul Majid Kunji Mohamad.

Jahpar and Samad were JI members detained under the ISA. Abdul Majid had undergone military training at Camp Abu Bakar in Mindanao, and helped the Milf in procuring funds and weapon components.

Meanwhile, restriction orders against JI members Arifin Ali and Mohammad Sharif Rahmat, and Milf member Ahmad Jalaluddin Sanawi, were allowed to lapse between May and August.

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