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Tag: ISIS

  • ISIS Video Shows Anti-Terror Battle Is About Winning Young Hearts, Minds

    ISIS Video Shows Anti-Terror Battle Is About Winning Young Hearts, Minds

    SINGAPORE — The latest propaganda video by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) showing child fighters from Malaysia and Indonesia firing guns, burning their passports and denouncing their citizenships — while a wanted terrorist delivered a provocative message for regional governments — has raised concerns among terror experts.

    Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen yesterday also weighed in on the “disturbing” 16-minute clip, calling it a reminder that “this fight against terrorism is global and above all, about winning hearts and minds of the younger generation”.

    Noting that the video showed footage of young children “excelling in unarmed combat, drills with rifles and knives”, Dr Ng wrote on Facebook: “Many of them should be in school getting a proper education to ensure a bright future. Instead they spend their days in training camps, indoctrinated to hate their fellow countrymen in Malaysia and Indonesia, burn their passports as a sign of their allegiance to terror groups like Isis, and drilled to kill innocent lives.”

    Dr Ng described the clip — which named Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as countries which “created trouble” and “damaged” Islamic beliefs — as “the first Isis video that targets South-east Asia explicitly”. “But unfortunately, I expect more to come,” he said.

    The video, titled The Generation of Epic Battles, was released by Isis last week. Narrated in Arabic with subtitles in Bahasa Indonesia, it showed crowds of children clad in combat uniform and headscarves who were firing weapons and undergoing drills. They were also told to wrestle with one another. Individual children pledged to wage jihad against those who have “changed the laws of God”.

    Mr Zainuri Kamaruddin, who leads the Malay-speaking Isis arm Katibah Nusantara and is wanted by the Malaysian authorities, was also featured in the video. He led the child fighters in tossing their passports into a bonfire.

    Speaking in Malay, he said the “cubs of the caliphate” were preparing themselves to “become the fighters of tomorrow”. He added: “To all the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia, we are not your citizens and we rid ourselves of your passport. But know that we will come back with the strengths of a mighty force that you cannot fathom that you cannot defeat. We will now burn these passports as symbol of our liberation.”

    In March last year, Isis also relesed a video titled Education in the Shadow of the Caliphate, which featured children from South-east Asia in military garb studying, praying, eating and undergoing weaponry training.

    The latest video was further evidence that the Isis threat is “real and present” in the region, experts said.

    Ms Nur Diyanah Anwar, a research analyst at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ (RSIS) Centre of Excellence for National Security, noted the recent surge of propaganda materials from Isis that were translated into regional languages such as Malay and Bahasa Indonesia.

    “It is clear that Isis is placing great focus on South-east Asia,” she said.

    Videos centered on children are a timely reminder that Isis runs a “multigenerational campaign” that targets everyone in society, including children and women, said Professor Rohan Gunaratna, who heads the RSIS International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research.

    National University of Singapore political scientist Bilveer Singh said the act of burning passports was symbolic of Isis followers severing ties with their home countries. “(The scene) shows to the world that Isis supporters were defiantly abandoning their home state for the Islamic State. It is a public act of disavowal,” he said.

    He added: “We cannot (for) any longer compartmentalise our response to Isis. It has become everybody’s business and hence, all of us should be involved in building national resilience.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Nama Pelajar Islam Disalah Eja Jadi ‘Isis’ Di Buku Tahunan Sekolah

    Nama Pelajar Islam Disalah Eja Jadi ‘Isis’ Di Buku Tahunan Sekolah

    Seorang pelajar California tertekan dan terpaksa menanggung malu, setelah gambar beliau sedang bertudung dipaparkan dengan nama “Isis Phillips” dalam buku tahunan sekolah tingginya.

    Demikian menurut sebuah kumpulan penyokong masyarakat Islam semalam (8 Mei).

    Pelajar tahun akhir di Sekolah Tinggi Los Osos di Rancho Cucamonga itu dan ibu bapanya “rasa malu setelah melihat gambar itu di buku tahunan itu, dan mengalami penderitaan emosi dan psikologi,” menurut kenyataan menerusi emel oleh Majlis Hubungan Amerika-Islam (CAIR).

    Pengetua sekolah tersebut sudahpun meminta maaf atas apa yang disifatkannya sebagai “kesilapan pada cetakan”. CAIR menyatakan pasukan guamannya akan bertemu dengan keluarga pelajar itu dan pegawai-pegawai sekolah hari ini, dan meminta agar insiden tersebut disiasat, kata seorang jurucakap kepada Reuters.

    ISIS merupakan salah satu gelaran bagi kumpulan Islamic State atau Negara Islam, kumpulan militan yang sudah merampas kuasa di sebahagian besar Iraq dan Syria, dan mengaku bersalah atas kejadian-kejadian pengeboman di Eropah.

    Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) menyifatkan ISIS sebagai kumpulan pengganas.

    Seorang pelajar yang terlibat dalam penerbitan buku tahunan tersebut berkata pihaknya tersilap mencetakkan nama yang salah itu, dan seorang lagi pelajar bernama Isis Phillips berpindah ke sekolah lain dari sekolah itu awal tahun ini, menurut laporan New York Daily News.

    Gambar tersebut tersebar luas dan dikongsi berkali-kali di lelaman media sosial, termasuk dikongsi pelajar itu sendiri, yang nama sebenarnya ialah Bayan Zehlif, menurut New York Daily News.

    “Saya amat sedih, meluat, hati saya terluka dan saya malu kerana buku tahunan Sekolah Tinggi Los Osos boleh terlepas dari perbuatan ini. Nampaknya nama saya ‘Isis’ dalam buku tahunan ini.

    “Pihak sekolah sudah menghubungi saya dan ada hati beritahu saya mereka tersilap eja. Saya tidak setuju, marilah kita bercakap jujur,” menurut kenyataan yang ditulis pada apa yang kelihatan seperti laman Facebook milik Cik Zehlif.

    Reuters tidak dapat mengesahkan sama ada akaun itu milik pelajar Islam tersebut, dan sama ada ia adalah namanya yang sebenar.

    CAIR enggan memberikan nama pelajar itu. Para pegawai di sekolah tinggi berkenaan pula tidak dapat dihubungi.

    Susan Petrocelli, pengetua sekolah itu, berkata para pegawai akan memperbetulkan “kesilapan pada cetakan” itu. Sekurang-kurangnya 200 buku tahunan sudahpun diagihkan, menurut CAIR.

    “Sekolah Tinggi Los Osos sedang mengambil semua langkah yang perlu untuk membetulkan dan menyiasat kesilapan pada cetakan hang dikesalinya pada buku tahunan itu. Kami dengan ikhlas meminta maaf,” kata Cik Petrocelli dalam kenyataan yang ditulis di Twitter.

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Bangladeshi Workers Here Condemn Countrymen, Fear For Future

    Bangladeshi Workers Here Condemn Countrymen, Fear For Future

    Bangladeshi migrant workers who spoke to TODAY condemned the actions of their countrymen who are suspected terrorists, with some worrying that this may affect their standing here in Singapore.

    Eight Bangladeshi nationals were detained last month under the Internal Security Act after they were found to have been planning to return to their home country to carry out terror attacks and establish an Islamic state branch, while working here in Singapore. This is the second reported incident in five months involving Bangladeshis — last November to December, 27 Bangladeshi workers were detained and repatriated on similar charges.

    When TODAY approached the Bangladeshi community here, some expressed their concerns, or said they would flag suspicious activities.

    Construction worker Robel Miah, 27, is “scared” that it would not be so easy to re-enter Singapore for work if this keeps up. “If people come here to make problems, then the next time, it’ll be difficult for me to come back here and work,” he said.

    Another view is that with these developments, the community has to be more pro-active to protect their livelihoods. Mr Majedur Kamrul Hasan, 21, an office administrator at a construction firm, said: “If (the suspects) had managed to do what they wanted to do, it would have harmed so many people. If I see something like this happen… I will definitely inform the police… If not, the police may think that I am one of them… and I will also be punished.”

    Construction worker Ali Mohd Yasin, 44, who has worked in Singapore for more than seven years, said those who align themselves with terror groups make Bangladesh “look bad”.

    “We are lucky to be here in Singapore … You should just work, makan (eat), sleep and sembahyang (pray) … Terrorism is no good. Islam also doesn’t support any terrorism,” he said, adding that he would inform the police if he knows of any suspicious acts.

    Construction worker Mohammad Assad, who arrived here just a week ago, was surprised by the news. “They have already caused some trouble in Bangladesh and now they are here, too,” the 25-year-old said.

    Mr Majedur, who stays at a temporary dormitory in Tai Seng, believes that integration will be a challenge. “I don’t know how Singaporeans see us, since we work all the time and don’t meet them. There is no time to go out. I will only go to the market (here in Little India), and even if we go out, we will be with our Bangladeshi friends,” he said.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • MUIS: Ideologi ISIS Masih Terus Jadi Ancaman Serious

    MUIS: Ideologi ISIS Masih Terus Jadi Ancaman Serious

    PENANGKAPAN terkini satu lagi kumpulan pekerja Bangladesh menunjukkan ISIS dan ideologi pengganas terus menimbulkan ancaman serius.

    Demikian menurut satu kenyataan Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis), semalam.

    Meskipun adanya penangkapan ini, Muis berkata pengalaman pihaknya dengan pekerja Bangladesh selalunya positif.

    Ramai pekerja Bangladesh menyumbang masa dan tenaga sebagai relawan di masjid bersama-sama dengan relawan setempat yang lain.

    “Misalnya semasa bulan Ramadan, mereka membantu menyiapkan makanan dan buka bersama para jemaah yang lain,” kata Muis.

    Ia menambah bahawa masjid akan terus menyambut kedatangan Muslim daripada pelbagai latar belakang dan kerakyatan bagi program keagamaan dan kelas yang dijalankan guru agama bertauliah di bawah Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARS).

    Muis telah bekerjasama dengan Persatuan Bangladesh Singapura untuk meneroka lebih banyak inisiatif bagi menyokong pekerja Bangladesh dalam kehidupan sosio-agama mereka dan berintegrasi dengan masyarakat setempat.

    Muis juga menekankan pentingnya masyarakat Muslim Singapura terus berwaspada dan tidak membenarkan sebarang ajaran yang menggalak keganasan dan ekstremis berlaku dalam masyarakat.

     

    Source: www.beritaharian.sg

  • PBB: Kebanyakan Mangsa Pengganas Adalah Orang Islam

    PBB: Kebanyakan Mangsa Pengganas Adalah Orang Islam

    Sebahagian besar mangsa fahaman pelampau ganas adalah orang Islam, kata Setiausaha Agung Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), Ban Ki-moon.

    Beliau menambah bahawa objektif pihak pelampau ialah “supaya kita bermusuhan antara satu sama lain, dan perpaduan kita adalah tamparan paling hebat kepada strategi mereka itu”, lapor akhbar Asianlite.

    Encik Ban berkata demikian di Persidangan Geneva tentang ‘Mencegah Fahaman Pelampau Ganas – Memandang ke Hadapan’, yang dihoskan secara bersama dengan pemerintah Switzerland dan PBB.

    Beliau ditukil Asianlite sebagai menegaskan: “Marilah kita sama-sama menyedari hakikat bahawa kebanyakan mangsa di seluruh dunia adalah orang Islam.”

    Kata Encik Ban, para anggota pelampau cuba memecahbelahkan masyarakat dan matlamat mereka ialah agar ketakutan dibiarkan bermaharajalela.

    “Marilah kami jadikan persidangan ini, dan perpaduan kami hari ini, tamparan paling hebat kepada strategi mereka,” ujarnya seperti ditukil Asianlite.

    Menurut laporan itu lagi, Encik Ban menekankan bahawa pelan bertindak yang dikemukakan beliau kepada Perhimpunan Agung PBB pada Januari lalu mengandungi saranan-saranan kukuh, dan boleh menjadi asas kepada kerjasama global bagi membanteras fahaman pelampau ganas.

    Encik Ban mengakui bahawa setiap kali kita bercakap tentang fahaman pelampau, tidak boleh dielakkan bahawa kumpulan pengganas seperti ISIS atau Boko Haram akan menjadi sebutan.

    Namun katanya, “fenomena fahaman pelampau ganas yang membawa kepada pengganasan tidak berakar atau terhad kepada sebarang agama, daerah, kerakyatan atau kumpulan etnik.”

    Beliau menambah bahawa fahaman pelampau ganas jelas satu ancaman rentas sempadan yang memerlukan kerjasama antarabangsa serta-merta.

    Encik Ban menjelaskan bahawa Pelan Bertindak untuk Mencegah Fahaman Pelampau Ganas yang dilakar beliau, mengemukakan pendekatan menyeluruh dan seimbang bagi tindakan bersama di peringkat global, serantau dan nasional.

    Source: Berita Mediacorp