Singapore Deports Four Suspected Indonesian Radicals Allegedly Enroute to Syria

Singapore, 15 Jumadal Awwal 1437/24 February 2016 (MINA) – Singapore has deported four Indonesian men thought to be followers of a leading Islamic extremist as they allegedly tried to travel to Syria, police say.

The four, who included a 15-year-old boy, were arrested Sunday in the city-state when immigration officials became suspicious after checking their documents, and finding one of them had previously spent time in Syria, Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) reported, quoting abc.net

Authorities deported them to Batam, an Indonesian island not far from Singapore, the same day, and they have since been sent on to Jakarta.

After questioning the men, Indonesian officials “suspected that these four Indonesians were heading to Syria”, police spokesman Agus Rianto said.

“We are now investigating the case to find out more.”

National police chief Badrodin Haiti said the group were thought to be followers of radical preacher Aman Abdurrahman, who is in jail for his role in forming a militant training camp and has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.

There have been suspicions Abdurrahman may have helped plan last month’s gun and suicide attacks in Jakarta that left four attackers and four civilians dead.

They were claimed by IS and were the first major attack in Indonesia for seven years. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)