SINGAPORE: The first Singaporean to be charged with terror financing admitted in his trial that he had transferred funds overseas to support the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Former logistic professional Imran Kassim (pic), 35, was charged with transferring S$450 (RM1,358) through remittance company Western Union to Mohamad Alsaied Alhmidan in Turkey for his publication of ISIS propaganda.
“I do admit to making the transfer, and I did it to benefit the Islamic State,” he said, using another common name for ISIS.
Under the Terrorism (Suppres-sion of Financing) Act, introduced in 2002 to counter terrorism financing here, anyone convicted of the offence of providing property and services for terrorist purposes may face prison time of not more than 10 years or a fine not exceeding S$500,000 (RM1.5mil), or face both penalties.
Imran is representing himself. The court heard that he was previously represented by a law firm, which has since discharged itself.
In court yesterday, he argued that while he made the fund transfer to ISIS, he had not broken the law as he did not recognise Singapore law and only recognised Syariah law.
He has been detained under the Internal Security Act since August 2017 and was issued a detention order for intending to take part in armed violence overseas.
Imran was the first Singaporean here to be charged with terror financing, in April last year.
Last October, former IT professional Ahmed Hussein Abdul Kadir Sheik Uduman, 35, became the first Singaporean to be convicted of funding terrorism.
He was sentenced to 2½ years’ jail. He was charged the month before.
In Imran’s case, a parallel investigation by the police’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) found that he had provided the funds to aid ISIS.
“Terrorism is a transnational scourge and Singapore takes its duties as a member of the global community seriously in its unending fight against terrorism, and accordingly, terrorism financing,” said Deputy Public Prosecutors Nicholas Khoo and Foo Shi Hao. — The Straits Times/ANN
Former logistic professional Imran Kassim (pic), 35, was charged with transferring S$450 (RM1,358) through remittance company Western Union to Mohamad Alsaied Alhmidan in Turkey for his publication of ISIS propaganda.
“I do admit to making the transfer, and I did it to benefit the Islamic State,” he said, using another common name for ISIS.
Under the Terrorism (Suppres-sion of Financing) Act, introduced in 2002 to counter terrorism financing here, anyone convicted of the offence of providing property and services for terrorist purposes may face prison time of not more than 10 years or a fine not exceeding S$500,000 (RM1.5mil), or face both penalties.
Imran is representing himself. The court heard that he was previously represented by a law firm, which has since discharged itself.
In court yesterday, he argued that while he made the fund transfer to ISIS, he had not broken the law as he did not recognise Singapore law and only recognised Syariah law.
He has been detained under the Internal Security Act since August 2017 and was issued a detention order for intending to take part in armed violence overseas.
Imran was the first Singaporean here to be charged with terror financing, in April last year.
Last October, former IT professional Ahmed Hussein Abdul Kadir Sheik Uduman, 35, became the first Singaporean to be convicted of funding terrorism.
He was sentenced to 2½ years’ jail. He was charged the month before.
In Imran’s case, a parallel investigation by the police’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) found that he had provided the funds to aid ISIS.
“Terrorism is a transnational scourge and Singapore takes its duties as a member of the global community seriously in its unending fight against terrorism, and accordingly, terrorism financing,” said Deputy Public Prosecutors Nicholas Khoo and Foo Shi Hao. — The Straits Times/ANN
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