Three radicalised maids held under Internal Security Act
Two of them had planned to join ISIS in Syria, says MHA
Three domestic workers became the first maids to be issued with detention orders under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and are being investigated for financing terrorist activities.
One of them wanted to be a suicide bomber.
They were issued the orders this month, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a press release yesterday.
It said Anindia Afiyantari, 33, Retno Hernayani, 36, and Turmini, 31, were radicalised after viewing online materials related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They had also joined pro-ISIS social media chat groups and channels.
MHA said the women had worked as domestic workers in Singapore for between six and 13 years.
It said including the three, 19 radicalised maids have been detected here since 2015.
The 16 other maids were repatriated after investigations had concluded.
VIOLENT VISUALS
In the most recent incident, MHA said the three women got to know one another around the same time they were becoming radicalised.
It said: "They were drawn to the violent visuals disseminated on these platforms, such as ISIS' bomb attacks and beheading videos, as well as recycled propaganda on ISIS's past victories in the battlefield.
"Over time, they developed a network of pro-militant foreign online contacts, including 'online boyfriends', who shared their pro-ISIS ideology."
Anindia and Retno had planned to travel to Syria to join ISIS.
MHA said Anindia was prepared to become a suicide bomber in Syria and Retno wanted to live among ISIS fighters in Syria and participate in the conflict there.
All three actively galvanised support online for ISIS, maintaining several social media accounts, which they used to post pro-ISIS materials.
They also donated funds to overseas-based entities for terrorism-related purposes, such as to support the activities of ISIS and Indonesia-based ISIS-affiliated terrorist group, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah.
MHA said: "Turmini believed that her donations would earn her a place in paradise."
It added that a fourth Indonesian domestic worker was also arrested.
While she was not found to be radicalised, she did not report her friends to the authorities. She has since been repatriated to Indonesia.
The MHA said anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised, or is engaging in terrorism-related activities, should call the Internal Security Department Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline on 1800-2626-473.
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