Tag: Syria

Helpline Launched To Fight Radicalisation Threat

As terrorist group ISIS’ prolific reach becomes more apparent by the day, the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) has come up with three measures to counter the growing threat of self-radicalisation in Singapore, including a new helpline that will be available from early next month.

The helpline (1800-774-7747) is for members of the public who wish to raise the alert on those whom they feel are in danger of being self-radicalised. It is also meant to serve as an easily-accessible legitimate reference point for those who have questions about extremist ideology or are seeking advice on aspects of Islam.

The initiative follows reports last month that a self-radicalised 19-year-old student here had plans to join ISIS in Syria, failing which he plotted attacks to be carried out locally. He was detained under the Internal Security Act in April, while another 17-year-old was arrested last month for further investigations.

In its statement on the detention and arrest then, the Ministry of Home Affairs had highlighted the importance of family members, friends, colleagues and members of the public turning in those they suspect are at threat of radicalisation early.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 11th RRG Retreat today (June 8), where the helpline was announced, RRG member Ustaz Ahmad Saiful Rijal Hassan said the community often does not know where to go for help for such matters. “So this is a platform other than Facebook or a website, where they can just call directly and talk to us,” he said.

On whether the helpline, which will be manned by RRG members, will operate round the clock, RRG vice-chairman Mohamed Ali said it depends on the “availability of our own councillors”, and details are being finalised. RRG has 38 members.

Asked how the group is addressing people’s fear in reporting their loved ones for possible self-radicalisation, Ustaz Ahmad said he thinks the Malay community “is mature enough to know what is right and what is wrong”. On their part they have been promoting co-existence and peace, and they also urge their community to play a part in the national security and national cohesion.

“If you dont report it early, you might be sending them off to the gallows,” he added.

The other counter-measure rolled out by the RRG is short religious talks before weekly Friday Prayers where they can raise awareness on the threat of radicalisation. This started last week.

Meanwhile, a new manual for RRG counsellors on refuting ISIS’ ideology was also launched today. It focuses on the terrorist group’s evolution, its propaganda and ways to debunk their ideology. Topics include challenges for Muslims living in secular environments, the need for critical thinking to evaluate religious sources and debunking the allegation of the Islamic State caliphate, said RRG co-chairman Ustaz Ali Haji Mohamed.

Speaking at the Retreat today, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean said there is an urgent need to deal with the threat posed by ISIS. Security agencies and the community need to work together to develop a counter ideology against the terrorist group’s extremist ideology that is tailored to Singapore’s context so it is more relevant for Muslim Singaporeans, he added.

RRG and community groups also need to reach out to youths through the Internet and social media in interesting, appealing and engaging ways, Mr Teo, who is also Minister for Home Affairs, said in Malay. Just as ISIS has used social media to provide religious justifications for its various actions, Singapore’s responses have to be equally, if not more, dynamic, he said.

Agreeing, Ustaz Ahmad said youths spend a lot of time on the Internet, and “the problem with that is that whatever is (online) are information, not knowledge”.

So, they are encouraging more Muslim youths to attend religious classes by accredited scholars, he added, citing that at least 60 per cent of Muslim youths here are not in any formal religious classes.

Ustaz Ali added that public education efforts are important because youths rely heavily on the Internet for religious guidance but without a strong foundation in religious knowledge, they are unable to discern correct Islamic teachings from those of ISIS.

DPM Teo also said there is a need to go beyond countering radical and distorted ideology, to put forward a positive agenda for all communities to live in harmony.

“We need to work together to protect our young people from this danger of self-radicalisation through the Internet, so that they do not do harm to themselves, their family, the community and to Singapore,” he said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 10, 2015
Elderly Uighur Uproots Family To Syria To Join ISIS

Islamic State fighters in Syria have revealed their latest weapon – an 80-year-old from China believed to be one of the the terror group’s oldest jihadis.

In a propaganda video released by ISIS, Muhammed Amin says he left his home country with his family after seeing a video of his jihadi son being killed in Syria.

Chilling footage was also shot inside a school run by ISIS and features a child singing about ‘martyrdom’ and another issuing a warning to the Chinese.

Oldest jihadi? Muhammed Amin, 80, left China with his wife, daughter and grandsons to join the terror group

Despite ‘ending training camp very well’, Amin was not given permission to fight although posed behind the controls of heavy artillery for the propaganda video

Amin and his family are believed to members of the Muslim Uighur in an autonomous territory in China

It is believed Amin was a member of the minority Muslim Uighur in Xinjiang, an autonomous territory in northwest China once known as Turkestan.

‘I was subjected to oppression in Turkestan at the hands of the Chinese… for 60 years,’ the grandfather told his interviewer – a fellow ISIS fighter.

‘I made hijrah (religious journey) accompanied by my four grandsons, my daughter and my wife.’

Filmed holding an AK-47 in some scenes and at the controls of heavy artillery in others, the elderly jihadi, who is dressed in fatigues, says he trained but is not currently fighting.

‘I came to Islamic State and went to training camp despite my old age,’ he added. ‘I went to training camp and I crawled, I ran and I rolled.

‘I did almost everything and ended training camp well. After receiving a weapon I asked permission to participate in battle, but he didn’t give me permission so I am presently in ribat (base).’

Oldest jihadi: 80-year-old grandfather fights for ISIS

Elderly: Amin boasts in the video that he can walk for two kilometres by foot and ‘did almost everything’ at training camp

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The elderly jihadi from China, dressed in fatigues, says he went to a training camp but is not currently fighting

The jihadi, who says he was a imam in China, says Muslims face oppression in his home country.

The video, believed to have been filmed in Syria, cuts to scenes inside one of the terror group’s schools, where children sit inside a classroom wearing hats bearing the recognisable ISIS logo.

It will certainly unsettle the Chinese security authorities; they have they own very real jihadist threat and anything that inflames the Uighurs will cause the greatest concern

One child, who looks about 10 years old, tells the camera: ‘O Chinese kaffar (non-believers), know that we are preparing in the land of the khilafah (caliphate) and we will come to you and raise this flag in Turkestan with the permission of Allah.’

Anthony Glees, the director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, says the footage seems to be propaganda aimed at Uighurs.

‘It’s clearly a rallying cry to all Muslims everywhere,’ he told MailOnline. ‘Yet the images of foot soldiers and this wizened man, looking a bit like a hobbit, trekking his way across vast swathes of wasteland to get to ISIS, is curiously old fashioned. No high-tech warfare here.

‘The tenor of the entire video is that ISIS is now fighting a ‘crusade’ in reverse: Muslims from all over everywhere are flocking to fight for the caliphate.’

ISIS footage: The propaganda video – like many of the terror group’s others – has high production values

Classroom: Children wearing hats bearing the ISIS logo are filmed learning in one of the terror group’s schools

Earlier this year, Chinese officials claimed Muslims from Xinjiang were travelling to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS – before returning home to take part in plots against the communist rule.

Authorities in the western region said they were planning to strengthen a crackdown on terrorism and extremism in the area, home to the minority Muslim Uighur, some of whom want their own independent state.

China has previously expressed concerns about the rise of ISIS, fearing it will fuel unrest and violence in Xinjiang, where some seek to set up an independent state called East Turkestan.

Xinjiang has seen repeated violence, as members of the Muslim Uighur have bristled under what they say is repressive Chinese government rule.

Beijing has previously blamed the violence on Islamic militants with foreign connections who are seeking an independent state in Xinjiang, but has offered little evidence and ignored calls for independent investigations.

Uighur groups say police have used indiscriminate deadly force against people protesting the government’s policies in the region.

One child (right), who looks about 10, issues a chilling warning to Chinese non-believers from the classroom

This child is filmed singing a song about ‘martyrdom’ in one of the most chilling pieces of footage in the video

Attacks blamed on Uighurs have also occurred in other parts of the country, including a car which plowed into Beijing’s Tiananmen Gate in 2013, killing five people.

Many of the group, who have traditionally followed a moderate form of Islam, have also begun adopting practices more commonly seen in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, such as full-face veils for women in the face of the crackdown.

Some Xinjiang cities have placed restrictions on Islamic dress, including the capital Urumqi, which banned the wearing of veils in public late last year.

Professor Glees added: ‘It (the video) will certainly unsettle the Chinese security authorities; they have their own very real jihadist threat and anything that inflames the Uighurs will cause the greatest concern.

‘They will fear further Uighur attacks in China.’

Xinjiang is the largest province in China, and despite only about 4.3 per cent of the land area being fit for human habitation, it is home to more than 22million people, nearly half of whom are Muslim Uighur.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

June 5, 2015
World Muay Thai Champion From Germany Joins ISIS In Syria

A 29-year-old German kickboxer and two-time Muay Thai world champion of Albanian origin, Valdet Gashi, has joined ISIS and left for Syria to fight for the Islamists, Swiss media reports.

According to the Swiss SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen) program Rundschau, Gashi joined ISIS in early January 2015 but he had been concealing his whereabouts for several months, so that his family believed he was in Thailand.

To all my Family and friends: I am ok…. will be back soon…. i am working on a new Project and i had no Internet all the time. more Infos soonso dont worry ;)Posted by Valdet Gashi on 4 Февраль 2015 г.

SRF journalists managed to reach him via telephone in mid-May. During a 90-minute telephone conversation, Gashi reportedly told journalists that he had a deep and profound understanding of the ISIS ideology and had gotten used to ISIS’s ideas by now.

“I want to do something good and to die while doing it. That is what would make me happy,” he said. He also asked his friends and family not to denounce his decision as “they did not know the whole story,”he Switzerland’s 20 Minuten news.

>>> WICHTIG – IMPORTANT <<<=”” p=””>

In Syria, Gashi is taking part in the establishment of a Caliphate, the SRF news network reports. In particular, he patrols an area along a stretch of the Euphrates tracking down smugglers and spies. He operates primarily near the city of Membij, close to the Turkish border.

Some muay thai fans responded to the news about Valdet Gashi joining ISIS by a proposal to deprive him of all his sport titles.

Valdet Gashi ist ein IS-Kämpfer und die Reaktion einiger Kampfsportfans ist: “Man sollte ihm die Titel abnehmen.” ….

— Dorian (@DorianGnP) 4 июня 2015

However, it is reported that he had not immediately left for Syria after joining ISIS. Initially, he came to the Swiss town of Winterthur, where he established a sports school named MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Sunna.

There he had trained three young men at the ages from 16 to 20, all of whom along with the sister of the one of the trainees also joined ISIS and left for Syria. All three trainees attended the same mosque in Winterthur, 20 Minuten reported.

READ MORE: UN-cleared refugees to Norway revealed as ISIS militants – report

One of the trainees, 20-year-old Hajan, also known as Ibn Muhamad al-Kurdi, has reportedly died in Syria fighting for ISIS. Gashi mourned the death of his “Kurdish friend’’ on his Facebook page and claimed they would soon meet again in “Jannah-al-firdaus,” the so-called Muslim seventh sky.

My kurdish muslim brother….R.I.P. :(May Allah bring us together in jannah al-firdaus and accept from you. Amin#muslim #jannah #inshaallah #kurdiPosted by Valdet Gashi on 22 Март 2015 г.

According to Atef Shanoun, the president of the Winterthur mosque association, that means Gashi is now seeking a martyr’s death through jihad.

READ MORE: Interpol, security services in 6 countries look for Russian student allegedly kidnapped by ISIS

Gashi’s family have criticized his decision to join ISIS. Enver Gashi, Valdet’s father, told Rundschau that“Valdet’s place is with us – with his children, his wife and his parents.”

“I want him to stop this nonsense and I hope he’ll come back to us one day, because his place is here and nowhere else.”

According to the SRF, Valdet Gashi has a wife and two small daughters, one of which was born just few months before he left for Syria.

Source: http://rt.com

June 5, 2015
Report Cases Of Radicalism Promptly, Counsellors Urge

Amid concerns over how friends of self-radicalised youth M Arifil Azim Putra Norja’i did not report him to the authorities despite knowing what he was up to, youth counsellors and experts yesterday stressed the need for the community to report such cases promptly to the authorities, given the potential dire consequences.

Ms Nur Irfani Saripi, a Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) counsellor, said that had someone not alerted the authorities, Arifil might have succeeded in pulling off his plans.

“It is not easy to report someone you care about, but it is necessary especially if that person has become influenced by deviant and violent ideologies, like those of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria),” she said.

But she noted that “when someone is detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), he or she is deemed a serious threat to national security”.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that Arifil, a 19-year-old post-secondary student has been detained since April under the ISA.

He had hoped to travel to Syria to join ISIS, failing which he planned to carry out attacks in public places here, even going to the extent of trying to recruit others to help him.

MHA said that while these persons were not recruited, they did not alert the authorities about Arifil.

The authorities were notified by another person who knew the teenager and had noticed changes in him.

Separately, another teenager, a 17-year-old who was unnamed, was also arrested under the Act for further investigations into his radicalisation, MHA said.

The Ministry refers cases to the RRG for counselling.

While Ms Nur Irfani noted that Arifil was detained because he fit the bill of someone who poses a serious threat to national security, the associate research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research said those who have been detained for radicalism “must be provided proper counselling to try to guide them back”.

Agreeing, counsellors and experts felt that the book should not be thrown too quickly at these misguided youths.

To this, the MHA explained that when a report is made, investigations will be carried out to determine whether the person reported has been radicalised, and if so, the extent of radicalisation, and the risk and potential threat the person poses.

“In appropriate cases, the person may be referred for counselling and other mitigation measures without the need for arrest,” said an MHA spokesperson.“Counselling or rehabilitation programmes are tailored to the person’s specific circumstances, including age.”

Psychiatrist Adrian Wang, who runs his own clinic, noted that “youths are easily attracted to radical ideas, especially if the idea can compensate for a lack in some area of their lives”.

Self-radicalised youths have their lives ahead of them and should be helped as much as possible to turn over a new leaf, he added. “We have to try and understand the factors that caused this young person to become so interested in ISIS.”

The MHA spokesperson urged the members of the public who observe extremist tendencies in any person “to report this early, so that efforts can be made to save him or her from becoming a danger to himself or herself, and to others”.

“This is particularly so for youths who are impressionable and who could need guidance to steer them away from radicalisation,” the spokesperson added.

Among parents and youths whom TODAY interviewed, there seems to be a general reluctance to report self-radicalised youth to the authorities as soon as they are uncovered.

Ms Noorulain Sheik Mohideen, 48, who has two children aged nine and 17, felt that someone like Arifil should not be treated too harshly, and should be given psychological treatment.

Polytechnic student Siti Nursyazwani Ramle, 18, said: “What I’d do firstly is to ask him why he harbours these kinds of thoughts, and then start to talk to him about how these ideas are not right. If it becomes severe, like if he has intentions of bombing, I think it’s important that I report him to the authorities.”

Ms Samantha Chng, 41, whose children are aged 15 and 17, said parents need to be aware of what their children do or read online.

“I am monitoring (my children’s) activities on social media. I don’t throw a (smart device) at them and let them use it without guidance,” she said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

May 29, 2015
Challenge Lies In Fighting IS Ideology, Not Group

KUALA LUMPUR — The threat of the Islamic State looms large over Malaysia, where the authorities have arrested dozens of suspected militants and uncovered several terror plots planned in the name of the militant group in recent months.

Those detained come from all walks of life, making it extremely challenging, if not impossible, for the authorities to profile suspects and pre-empt attacks.

The country’s top counterterrorism official Ayub Khan said the challenge of dealing with the Islamic State is having to fight ideology rather than an organisation. “(The Islamic State’s) doors are open to anybody … We have our work cut out for us as we are monitoring not just organisations or groups, but also individuals,” he said.

In the most recent case, six suspected militants were charged last week — the youngest being a 17-year-old. The six were part of a group of 12 who were arrested near Kuala Lumpur last month for plans to attack Putrajaya, the federal parliament and entertainment venues with explosives.

The police also detained one of the youngest Malaysians who wanted to join the group in February — a 14-year-old girl who planned to marry a man, 22, in Egypt before heading to Syria to join the militant cause.

Since April 2013, Malaysia has arrested 107 for suspected militant activities. They include military personnel, civil servants and university students, among others — a worrying sign that even people who serve the nation are buying into the group’s ideology. Two men from the Royal Malaysian Air Force were charged last month along with four other suspected militants for plotting to kidnap high-profile figures, rob banks and raid armed-forces installations.

Malaysia passed the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act Bill last month, giving the police sweeping powers to arrest and detain those suspected of terrorist activities.

Last August, the police arrested 19 who had formulated plans to bomb pubs and a Malaysian brewery managed by Carlsberg. These were targeted reportedly because Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol.

A group of radicals arrested last year were planning to attack several targets in Malaysia and had their sights set on a wider campaign — the creation of an Islamic caliphate that includes Singapore, said the counterterrorism division.

The Islamic State has been adept at spreading its propaganda on social media, making it difficult for authorities to distinguish when pre-emptive action should be taken.

“We don’t go after these sympathisers as there is no evidence to show they are involved,” Mr Ayub said, but added that the counterterrorism division is taking all possible measures for intelligence gathering and making arrests. Officers are also sent to engage the people by giving talks at schools.

When asked if Singapore and Malaysia are on high alert for attacks, Mr Ayub replied: “The IS threat is a global problem. We are working with other countries through the exchange of information and intelligence.”

Of the 200 Malaysians who were fighting in Iraq and Syria, some have died as suicide bombers and others in combat.

Indonesia faces a similar growing threat from the Islamic State and launched a six-month operation in April to crack down on militants with suspected links to the group. The authorities believe about 500 Indonesians have joined the group in Syria and Iraq. AGENCIES

Source: www.todayonline.com

May 28, 2015