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Tag: Islamic State

  • Pendakwah Britain Anjem Choudary Didapati Bersalah Sokong ISIS

    Pendakwah Britain Anjem Choudary Didapati Bersalah Sokong ISIS

    Salah seorang pendakwah di Britain, yang terkenal dengan ceramah-ceramah yang menerapkan kebencian, kini berdepan dengan hukuman penjara setelah didapati bersalah menyokong ISIS.

    Anjem Choudary dijatuhi hukuman di Old Bailey setelah para juri mendengar bahawa dia mengikrarkan taat setia kepada ISIS, lapor The Guardian.

    Lelaki berusia 49 tahun itu, yang ada kaitan dengan salah seorang pembunuh Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo dan anggota militan Omar Bakri Muhammad, juga menggesa para pengikutnya supaya menyokong beberapa rancangan ISIS yang disiarkan di laman YouTube.

    Anjem dan rakannya yang turut berdepan hukuman, Mohammed Rahman, 33 tahun memberitahu para penyokong mereka supaya mematuhi Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, iaitu pemimpin ISIS, yang juga dikenali sebagai khalifah, serta menggesa mereka agar ke Syria untuk menyertai ISIS atau “khilafah”, mahkamah dimaklumkan.

    Kedua-duanya didapati bersalah pada bulan Julai namun perincian perbicaraan termasuk keputusan mahkamah tidak boleh dilaporkan sehingga sekarang.

    Anjem dan Rahman berdepan hukuman penjara selama 10 tahun kerana memberikan sokongan kepada pertubuhan yang berbahaya, menurut The Guardian.

    Mereka akan dijatuhi hukuman pada 6 September di Old Bailey.

    Menurut Ketua Polis Metropolitan Anti-Pengganasan, Komander Dean Haydon: “kedua-dua lelaki ini cuba mengelak pengawasan pihak berkuasa sejauh ini, namun tiada seorang pun dalam bidang anti-pengganasan yang meragui pengaruh mereka, kebencian yang mereka sebarkan dan orang-orang yang mereka galak supaya menyertai pertubuhan pengganas.”

    “Berkali-kali kami menyaksikan orang-orang dibicarakan atas kesalahan paling serius, yang pernah menghadiri ceramah kedua-dua lelaki ini. Ikrar taat setia mereka kepada ISIS adalah satu titik perubahan – akhirnya kami mempunyai bukti yang menunjukkan bahawa mereka sudah melanggar undang-undang dan kami boleh buktikan bahawa mereka menyokong ISIS,” tambah beliau, menurut laporan The Guardian.

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Pakar: ISIS Sasarkan Asia Tenggara Selepas Sokongan Berkurangan Di Timur Tengah

    Pakar: ISIS Sasarkan Asia Tenggara Selepas Sokongan Berkurangan Di Timur Tengah

    Kumpulan militan ISIS sedang meluaskan pengaruhnya di Asia Tenggara setelah mengalami kekalahan di Iraq dan Syria.

    Demikian menurut Encik Ahmad El-Muhammady, penasihat kepada Polis Diraja Malaysia tentang tahahan pengganas.

    Pada Mei, para pegawai dari Jabatan Pertahanan Amerika Syarikat berkata bahawa ISIS kehilangan 45 peratus wilayah yang dikuasainya di Iraq dan 10 peratus kawasan yang dikuasainya di Syria.

    “Kawasan yang dikuasai ISIS kian menguncup, dan ini memberikan impak psikologi terhadap mereka. Bahkan di kalangan para warga siber, mereka akan menyoal apa yang sedang berlaku sekarang ini,” kata Encik Ahmad, yang kini seorang pensyarah di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia.

    “Bagaimana ISIS terus mendapatkan sokongan? Mereka perlu ke konflik tahap kedua, iaitu negara-negara jiran mereka, atau konflik tahap ketiga, iaitu Asia Tenggara,” ujarnya.

    Beliau mengeluarkan komen-komen tersebut dalam satu wawancara bagi rancangan Conversation With (episod ini akan disiarkan esok, 4 Ogos) di sebalik siri serangan ISIS di rantau ini.

    Pada Januari lalu, tujuh orang terkorban dalam serangan di Jakarta yang didakwa dilancarkan ISIS.

    Pada Jun lalu pula, dua lelaki melontarkan alat letupan ke arah sebuah kelab malam di Puchong, mencederakan lapan orang – menjadikannya serangan pertama yang dilancarkan ISIS di Malaysia.

    Bulan lalu, polis memberkas 14 warga Malaysia berhubung apa yang disyaki adalah komplot pengeboman yang dikaitkan dengan ISIS; polis menyatakan pihaknya merampas alat letupan 1kg yang bertujuan digunakan untuk satu serangan terhadap para pegawai kanan polis.

    BAHAYA ANGGOTA MILITAN PULANG KE NEGARA ASAL

    ISIS juga sudah menjelaskan ia kini menyasarkan Asia Tenggara. Video-videonya baru-baru ini menyeru para pengikutnya supaya fokus terhadap Malaysia dan Filipina.

    Kanak-kanak Indonesia pula dipaparkan dalam video-video itu melepaskan tembakan dari senapang dan membakar pasport mereka. ISIS juga melancarkan akhbar bahasa Melayunya yang pertama – Al Fatihin – yang sudah diharamkan Singapura, pada Jun, sejajar dengan bulan suci Ramadan.

    Firma risikan keselamatan, The Soufan Group menganggarkan bahawa 700 warga Indonesia dan 100 warga Malaysia sedang bertempur bersama ISIS di Timur Tengah. Sesetengah mereka menubuhkan cabang ISIS, Katibah Nusantara pada 2014.

    Namun para anggota militan yang pulang ke negara asal jauh lebih berbahaya berbanding mereka yang ke luar negara untuk menyertai ISIS, kata Encik Ahmad, yang pernah menjadi saksi pakar di mahkamah Malaysia bagi kes-kes melibatkan kumpulan pengganas Al Qaeda di Kepulauan Melayu pada 2015.

    “Apabila mereka pulang ke rumah, mereka akan membawa bersama mereka ideologi mereka, kepakaran dan pengalaman bertempur, dan mereka akan mahu berperang di sini,” katanya.

    Sekurang-kurangnya 100 warga Indonesia yang bertempur di Iraq dan Syria bersama ISIS sudah pulang ke negara asal, kata ketua risikan Indonesia, Sutisoyo pada November tahun lalu.

    CARA PEMIKIRAN PARA TAHANAN

    Untuk menghapuskan fahaman radikal yang dipegang para tahanan militan, banyak negara, termasuk Indonesia, Thailand dan Singapura, menjalankan program-program pemulihan. Sebagai penasihat program di Malaysia, Encik Ahmad sudah menemubual lebih 50 tahanan pengganas, sesetengahnya semuda 14 tahun.

    “Mereka akan kata, ‘Saya tidak rasa apa yang saya lakukan itu salah.’ Kurang pengetahuan atau tidak tahu menahu tentang Islam menyebabkan mereka tidak mampu membezakan antara yang betul dan salah.

    “Sangat penting untuk fokus terhadap mendidik generasi Muslim dengan pemahaman Islam yang betul,” kata Encik Ahmad.

    Namun beliau menaruh harapan bahawa ISIS boleh ditewaskan.

    “Jika pemerintah, individu-individu dan masyarakat bekerjasama dengan agensi-agensi keselamatan, dan para intelek Muslim boleh mengambil bahagian dalam hal ini, saya percaya kami boleh mengurangkan pengaruh mereka dan kembali bangkit,” katanya.

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Zulfikar’s Views Of Extremist Islamic Organisations Has Changed Since 2015, Family Of Man Detained Under ISA Claims

    Zulfikar’s Views Of Extremist Islamic Organisations Has Changed Since 2015, Family Of Man Detained Under ISA Claims

    The following is a press release by the family of Zulfikar Shariff. Zulfikar was recently arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (http://bit.ly/2ahTheb).

    —
    Statement from the family of Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff

    We refer to the various reports over the past several days in the Singapore and other media, based on content and statements originating from the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs, Government Ministers, spokespersons and commentators relating to the announcement of the detention of Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

    We are troubled that the media reports and commentaries are based on information that has been pieced together to suit the Singapore Government’s content and statements put out to justify the detention of Zulfikar under the ISA. Commentators have also used information selectively to attune their claims with that of the Singapore government.

    However, such information does not represent the true and correct picture of the situation and statements over Facebook made by Zulfikar. In fact, the allegations are mostly based on postings in 2013 and 2014, and almost nothing from 2015 and 2016 where his position on many issues have changed.

    We would like to highlight several points, but not exhaustive, of the claims made through the Singapore media:

    1.     Support of the Islamic State (ISIS):

    The accusations of supporting ISIS are based on selected Facebook postings in 2014.

    However, there were subsequent comments made by Zulfikar on Facebook which indicated that he did not agree with their actions and position. As his family, we have numerous recent conversations with him during which he had made it obvious to us, and anyone that knows him personally, that he is not a supporter of ISIS.

    On 28th June 2014, Zulfikar had published comments regarding ISIS in Iraq and Syria, when there were news releases of a reestablishment of the Islamic Caliphate. The news was greeted with excitement by a number of Muslims, as the Islamic Caliphate is meant to be a central Muslim leadership in the matters of the religious law, and being the Muslim equivalent to the Roman Catholic papacy.

    When the first global media reports of violence and beheadings by ISIS began in late July 2014 and the agendas of the ISIS fighters had seemed to differ from the peaceful perspective, Zulfikar took a different stance. He had been against their violent nature and ideology.  Anyone who knows him personally would know that he is argumentative but not a violent man, and does not condone violence.

    2.     Portrayal as being violent and promoting war:

    Zulfikar had never encouraged or promoted others to join ISIS. He’s not a violent person and does not encourage any violent behaviour towards others, no matter the race or religion.

    3.     Caliphate in Singapore:

    It was never his intention to establish the Caliphate system in Singapore or use violence to achieve such an objective.

    The stance on the reestablishment of the worldwide Islamic Caliphate is based on Muslim unity for religious adherence in creed.

    Zulfikar had, on numerous occasions, stressed on the importance of the political unity of Muslims. It was not a violent idea, neither does it condone terrorism.

    4.     The photo of him with his children and the Islamic banner:

    There had been a photo that had been circulated by the Singapore Media in an unclarified attempt to link it to a Jihadi pose.

    The banner, which had been maliciously and falsely identified as an ISIS flag, is actually a banner which has been used throughout Islamic history, as the basis of Islamic creed to represent Islam, which states the Shahadah, or professing the recognition of God and the Prophet.

    The banner in the photo was purchased to show solidarity towards the oppression of the Palestinians, which had been mentioned by Zulfikar in that post. It was never referred to as a support for ISIS or any other known terrorist organisations, besides being exaggerated by the Singapore media.

    5.     Al Makhazin 

    Al Makhazin (The Magazine), was established to give an alternative platform to raise awareness around Muslim issues around the world. It was to give a voice for Muslims to discuss current issues.

    6.     Hizbut-Tahrir 

    Zulfikar has never been a member of Hizbut-Tahrir. Claims that state otherwise are untrue and have no basis at all.

    The contents distributed in the media, and statements and commentaries made thereafter are inaccurate and selective. We find such content malicious, with the intention of portraying Zulfikar negatively.

    Zulfikar’s Facebook account had been removed while he was in detention, while media reports and commentators continue to falsely portray him as an extremist and as an ISIS sympathiser, without his FB page content being currently accessible to show the true nature of the posts.

    While Zulfikar has always been known to oppose the Singapore Government policies, his postings were written from a perspective of someone who argued and rationalised his opposition to the PAP government’s policies vis-à-vis the Malay/Muslim community.

    To detain him under the ISA for his views, is not fair. To further accuse him of being an extremist and by extension insinuating terrorism and being a sympathiser of terrorist organisations, is stretching the evidence from his FB page postings. Detaining him under the ISA without trial and without having the opportunity to challenge these aspersions in an open court is an injustice. We fear that the detention of Zulfikar also increases the chances of self-incrimination through “confessions” and “admissions”.

    All this one-sided misinformation has given opportunity to others with whom Zulfikar has had disagreements on and offline to come out now and cast one-sided aspersions.

    Zulfikar is a loving family man. His detention is doing irreparable harm to him and his family.

    This response is not exhaustive, we will respond further on this matter as appropriate and as needed.

    On behalf of the immediate family

     

    Source: TheIndependent.sg

  • MHA: Zulfikar Shariff Detained And Arrested Under ISA

    MHA: Zulfikar Shariff Detained And Arrested Under ISA

    In a press release issued on Friday (July 29), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, 44, was arrested and detained, after it was found that he had used social media to propagate and spread his radical messages. He considered his propagation of radical material as a form of jihad, by way of creating awareness of ISIS and promoting armed jihad.

    On Facebook, he supported terrorism and the terrorist group ISIS, and made numerous Facebook posts that glorified and promoted ISIS and their violent actions, said the MHA.

    In addition, Zulfikar admitted that he wanted his online followers to reject the Western secular democratic nation-state system and establish an Islamic caliphate, governed by Syariah law.  The MHA added that he had actively looked into holding training programmes aimed at radicalising young Singaporeans so that they would be persuaded into joining his extremist agenda.

    Admitting that he had an ulterior motive for setting up a Facebook page, “Al-Makhazin Singapore”, he used this page to unnerve people on certain Muslim issues in Singapore and attack some Singaporean Muslims who disagreed with him. His real agenda – which he hid from members of that page – was to provoke Singaporean Muslims into pushing for the replacement of the democratic system with an Islamic state in Singapore, said the MHA.

    Zulfikar, whom the MHA said had embarked on the path of radicalism as early as 2001, has previously made news here, when he was  the head of a fringe group called Fateha.com more than a decade ago. The group made waves in 2002 for alleging that the Singapore Government does not consider the sensitivities of the Muslim community. Zulfikar fled Singapore when he was being investigated for possible criminal defamation. His family has resettled in Australia.

    Through his radical postings he influenced two other Singaporeans: Muhammad Shamin Mohamed Sidik, who is already detained under the ISA, and businessman Mohamed Saiddhin Abdullah, 33.

    Saiddhin had looked up to Zulfikar, followed his postings and was convinced by the latter’s “positive portrayal of ISIS”. Not only did he repost Zulfikar’s postings, he also emulated him by photographing himself adopting the common pose of jihadi fighters while standing before an ISIS flag, said the MHA.

    Saiddhin has been placed under a Restriction Order for two years, which took effect this month. A person under an RO cannot change his residence, employment or travel out of Singapore without official approval. He also cannot issue public statements or join organisations without approval.

     

    Source: TODAY Online

  • Man Detained Under ISA Had Radicalised Other Singaporeans: MHA

    Man Detained Under ISA Had Radicalised Other Singaporeans: MHA

    Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, the Singaporean arrested and detained for terrorism-related activities, had contributed to the radicalisation of at least two other Singaporeans, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday (Jul 29).

    One of them was Muhammad Shamin Mohamed Sidik, who has since been detained, and Mohamed Saiddhin Abdullah, who was issued with a Restriction Order for two years in July.

    A person issued with a Restriction Order is not allowed to change his residence or employment or travel out of Singapore without prior approval from the authorities.

    The 33-year-old businessman identified Zulfikar, whom he befriended online, as the person who had influenced him to support the Islamic State.

    “Saiddhin had looked up to Zulfikar and followed his postings; he was convinced by Zulfikar’s positive portrayal of ISIS and later started reposting Zulfikar’s postings on ISIS as a form of jihad, emulating Zulfikar,” MHA said.

    Like Zulfikar, Saiddhin also photographed himself adopting the common pose of jihadi fighters while standing in front of an Islamic State flag. He posted these photographs online as a show of his solidarity with militants fighting in Syria and Iraq, the ministry added.

    OTHER RADICALS DETAINED, ISSUED WITH RESTRICTION ORDER

    Separately, MHA also said that another 17-year-old male Singaporean has been issued with a Restriction Order for two years.

    Investigations showed that the teenager, who recently graduated from a madrasah, had become radicalised online after viewing pro-Islamic State videos, websites and social media material.

    “He became convinced that ISIS’ violent actions were justified and harboured the intention to fight for ISIS in Syria in the future where he was prepared to die a martyr,” MHA said, adding that he also sought out other like-minded individuals online and tried to influence his friends.

    Another 27-year-old Singaporean was re-detained under the ISA for two years in April after he planned to join a terrorist group like ISIS to engage in armed violence in Syria, the ministry said.

    Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid was previously detained from 2010 to 2012 when he was self-radicalised, and wanted to engage in armed violence in Afghanistan. He was released from detention in 2012 and placed on a Restriction Order.

    Fadil had initially made some progress in reintegrating into society, MHA said. However, he later became attracted to radical online material again, like teachings of radical ideologues such as Anwar al-Awlaki and the propaganda of ISIS, and fell under its influence.

    He became convinced that partaking in the violence in Syria was “justifiable jihad” and wanted to fight alongside ISIS militants in Syria. He also reverted to the belief that militant jihad was the easiest way to achieve martyrdom, the ministry said.

    Another self-radicalised Singaporean, Abdul Basheer, 37, was released after his detention order was suspended in February, while the Restriction Order of Rijal Yadri Jumari, 35, was allowed to lapse upon expiry in March this year.

     

    Source: ChannelNewsAsia