A Singapore court on Tuesday convicted four Bangladeshi workers for financing terrorism and sentenced them to jail terms varying between two to five years.
The four —— Rahman Mizanur (31), Miah Rubel (26), Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar (31), and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader (29) —— were detained in April under the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Straits Times reported.
Rahman was sentenced to 60 months in jail. Sohel was given 24 months while Miah and Jabath each got 30 months.
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All the sentences will be retrospective with effect from May 27, the day they first appeared in court.
Earlier, they were charged with providing or collecting money to fund terrorist acts in Bangladesh. They pleaded guilty on May 31.
Asking for deterrent sentences, the prosecution pointed out that the accused men have caused public disquiet and were funding IS, “one of the most dangerous terrorist organisations in the world”.
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The four Bangladeshis were part of a group of six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA) —— the first time the act has been used for prosecution.
The other two —— Zzaman Daulat, 34, and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29 —— have denied the charges and are claiming retrial.
The court documents showed that the men had clearly denied all charges.
Rahman led the group, with Mamun as the group’s deputy leader and Miah as the group’s financial council member. Jabath handled the group’s media while Zaman and Sohel were in the group’s security and fighter councils respectively.
Miah and Jabath were also accused of possessing money for terrorist purposes.
The court documents also showed that Jabath was in possession of $1,360 —— that includes a sum of $1,060 which was handed over to him by Miah last month.
In all, the six had contributed sums of $60 to $500 to the cause.
The six were among the eight men arrested between late March and early April this year. Working in the marine and construction industries, they called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB), reports the Strait Times.
They were planning attacks back home in the hope of toppling their government.
Their goal was to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under the self-declared caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).