12 July 2016•Update: 12 July 2016
By Kirsten Han
SINGAPORE
Four Bangladeshi migrant workers who were detained without trial under Singapore's Internal Security Act in April were sent to prison Tuesday for financing terrorism, local press reported.
Rahman Mizanur, Miah Rubel, Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader all pleaded guilty March 31 to charges of financing terrorism.
Rahman was identified as the ringleader, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Miah and Jabath, who had also been accused of being in possession of funds for terrorist purposes, were sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Sohel was given 24 months.
Two other men, Zzaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot Ali, were similarly charged, but denied the charges and are claiming trial.
Local newspaper The Straits Times reported that the men had clearly defined roles within the group they had set up, which they called the "Islamic State in Bangladesh". For example,
Miah was accused of being in the group's financial council, while Jabath was said to have handled the group's media.
The paper also reported that court documents had shown that Jabath was in possession of 1,360 Singapore dollars ($1009.18) at the time of his arrest -- the six were reported to have contributed between 60 to 500 Singapore dollars to their cause.
The six men had been among eight Bangladeshi migrant workers -- all in the marine or construction sector -- detained in late March and early April.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the men had originally intended to travel to Syria to fight for Daesh, but changed their minds and focused on overthrowing the Bangladeshi government instead, so as to establish a caliphate that could be brought under Daesh.
The men had been placed under two-year detention orders. It is unclear if the remaining two men will eventually be charged in court.
