KUALA LUMPUR: A self-radicalised man with access to Singapore Changi Airfreight Centre was detained and repatriated to Malaysia, the Singapore Home Ministry said today.
According to a Straits Times report, the Singapore Home Ministry said Muhammad Nur Hanief Abdul Jalil, 33, who worked as a driver with a local airfreight company, had planned to travel to the Middle East to participate in armed conflict there.
Due to his job, he had access to Changi Airfreight Centre, a restricted area. The centre provides airfreight services to Changi Airport.
The report said Hanief was arrested under the republic’s Internal Security Act (ISA) last month, after he was found to have been radicalised by the online teachings of extremist preachers. He was repatriated to Malaysia, with his work pass cancelled, this month.
Hanief has since been detained under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act.
Investigations have revealed that since 2008, Hanief perused online materials of foreign extremist preachers including Imran Hosein and Anjem Choudary.
"He was also influenced by Ismail Menk and Haslin Baharim, who propagated segregationist and divisive teachings," the ministry added.
Singapore has banned Ismail and Haslin from entering the country due to their teachings since October last year.
Hanief has held various jobs in Singapore since 2011, the ministry said, adding that his radicalisation "renders him a security threat to Singapore" even though there were no indications that he had tried to radicalise others or planned any terrorist attacks in the island republic.
"In late 2017, Hanief decided to act on his plans to participate in the conflict in Syria or Palestine after he suffered setbacks in his work and personal life.
"He was prepared to join any militant group there, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Free Syrian Army, or Hayat Tahrir al-Sham."
The daily also reported that Hanief contacted Haslin and sought his advice on whether he would become a martyr if he was killed in a conflict zone in Syria.
"Haslin said it was God's will if one should die as a martyr, which Hanief interpreted as an affirmative reply," the ministry was quoted as saying.