Singaporean man charged with giving money to support ISIS propaganda
He gave $450 to an individual in Turkey to publish terror group's propaganda
A Singaporean man detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since August 2017 was charged yesterday with providing money to support the publication of propaganda material for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group.
Investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) found that Imran Kassim, 35, had given $450 to an individual in Turkey on Oct 31, 2014, for the publication of ISIS propaganda, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement yesterday.
"This act of providing money in support of terrorist purposes is a serious offence, regardless of the amount, under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act," the ministry said.
The CAD investigation ran parallel to one by the Internal Security Department, and Imran was issued with a detention order in 2017 for intending to undertake armed violence overseas.
MHA said after his arrest in July that year that the former managing director of a logistics company had terror links dating back to 2014.
He tried to join ISIS in Syria at least twice and also harboured intentions to join pro-ISIS groups battling Philippine forces in Marawi in 2017.
Imran, who was prepared to attack Singapore Armed Forces troops deployed in the global coalition against ISIS or hold them hostage to demand ransom from the Government, also actively galvanised support for ISIS online and tried unsuccessfully to influence his friends with radical views, MHA said then.
If Imran is convicted, his detention order will be cancelled and he will serve the jail term imposed by the court, MHA said yesterday.
To prevent him from spreading radical ideas to other inmates, Imran will be held separately and continue to undergo rehabilitation while serving his prison sentence. He will be assessed at the end of his sentence as to whether he has been successfully rehabilitated. If he remains a threat to society, Imran may be detained further under the ISA.
MHA reminded the public not to remit money of any amount, or support through the provision of services, supplies or any material to a terrorist organisation or any member of a terrorist group.
Anyone convicted of the offence of providing property and services for terrorist purposes can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $500,000, or both.
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