International

Islamic militants' detention upheld

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE May 30. Detention orders on 13 Islamist militants belonging to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), who were arrested for plotting terrorist acts in Singapore in December 2001 under the Internal Security Act (ISA), have been upheld.

The nine militants, who went before the ISA advisory board, have been initially detained for a two-year period, which began on January 6, 2002, when the ISA orders were first served. The three-member ISA advisory board reported that all 13 detainees admitted to the "allegations of fact'' tendered against them as grounds for their detention, a Home Ministry statement said this evening.

``The board also observed that the detainees were involved in the JI terrorist plans to varying degrees; some were ordinary members in the rank and file while others were either proven militants or held leadership positions. While all the detainees expressed varying degrees of remorse, the board felt there was a tendency for many to try and downplay their involvement in JI despite evidence to the contrary,'' the statement said.

``On the evidence presented to the board and in the light of statements given it is clear that all (13) of them were involved in an elaborate conspiracy, initiated and aided by foreign terrorist groups, and each playing their separate roles, to gravely undermine the security of Singapore...'' it said. A bid to purchase 17 tonnes of ammonium nitrate for bomb-making purposes showed that the consequences of their efforts, which included possible attacks on American targets, would have been "catastrophic''. Jemaah Islamiyah leaders like Ibrahim Maidin, Faiz Abu Bakar Bafana and Khalim Jaffar were closely collaborating with and receiving instructions from foreign terrorist groups and some of the detainees were militarily trained and could plan and execute violent acts, the board said.

A summary of the case against JI militants revealed that at least eight of them had gone to Afghanistan for military training. Besides, some of the Singapore-based militants had travelled to Mindanao in the southern Philippines to attend training sessions organised by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Check terrorism across LoC: U.S. tells Pak.
• Russia to press India, Pak. to resume dialogue
• Titanic rescuer is dead
• Pak. prepares list of "wanted elements" from India
• U.K.'s new immigration policy
• U.S. envoy unveils plan for peace
• 'Stunning' evidence of ice beneath Mars surface
• Islamic militants' detention upheld
• Racial overtones in Indian's murder
• Early talks stressed for lifting LTTE ban
• Benazir calls for `regime change' in Pak.

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu