Singapore jails four Bangladeshis for financing terrorism

Four Bangladeshi nationals, who were detained in April under Singapore's Internal Security Act, were sentenced to between 24 and 60 months' jail for financing terrorism on Tuesday.

The four workers, Rahman Mizanur, Miah Rubel, Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, pleaded guilty in May for one or two counts each of providing or collecting hundreds of dollars to fund terror attacks in Bangladesh.

Rahman, the group's leader, was sentenced to five years' jail. Sohel was given two years in the prison, while Miah and Jabath were given 30 months respectively.

The four Bangladeshi nationals are part of the six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA), which is the first time the Act has been used for prosecution. The other two members, Zzaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot, have denied the charges and are claiming trial.

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs on May 3 announced that eight radicalized male Bangladeshi nationals were detained under the Internal Security Act.

The eight-member group, called itself Islamic State in Bangladesh, had planned to conduct attacks back home in the hope of toppling the Bangladeshi government.

Another two men who were also part of the group, Sohag Ibrahim and Islam Shariful, will be dealt with separately. Endit