SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man who gave financial support to a Syria-based Daesh militant from Malaysia has been detained under the city-state鈥檚 tough internal security laws, authorities said Friday.
The arrest highlights the continued influence of Southeast Asian militants fighting with Daesh in Iraq and Syria in radicalizing people back home, even as the militants face defeat in the Middle East.
Singaporean businessman Mohamed Kazali bin Salleh, 48, is suspected of being a 鈥渃lose associate鈥� of Mohamad Aquil bin Wan Zainal Abidin, believed to be the most senior Malaysian Daesh fighter in Syria, according to Singapore鈥檚 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Kazali, who had been living in the Malaysian state of Johor next to Singapore, paid for the militant鈥檚 trip to Syria in late 2013 to fight with Daesh and continued to support him financially, the ministry said.
In return, Aquil 鈥渒ept him updated on his exploits on the battlefield,鈥� it said. Kazali became increasingly radicalized over time and pledged allegiance to IS chief Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
He shared news of Aquil鈥檚 activities in Syria on social media to inspire others to travel there and was also prepared to finance them.
In December, he received instructions from Aquil to carry out an attack in Johor but he did not follow through for fear of being arrested, MHA said.
Kazali was arrested by Malaysian authorities in December and deported to Singapore, where he is being held under the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial for up to two years.
A second person was also detained under the act 鈥� Hazim Syahmi bin Mahfoot, a 28-year-old car exporter who was influenced by Kazali鈥檚 radical views and was convinced by him to carry out attacks against Islam鈥檚 perceived enemies.
He took an oath to be 鈥渓oyal and obedient to Kazali even if it involved carrying out attacks and killing others,鈥� although he did not participate in any acts of violence, authorities said.