Singapore: Four of the six Bangladeshi foreign workers charged with financing a terrorist campaign were sentenced to between two and five years on Tuesday (July 12), in the first conviction and sentencing under the Terrorism Suppression of Financing Act in Singapore, reported Today Online.

The four are Mizanur Rahman, 31; Rubel Miah, 26; Md Jabath Kysar, 31; and Sohel Hawlader, 29. They had pleaded guilty to their crimes on May 31.

All the sentences will be backdated to May 27, the day the men first appeared in court.

The four had pleaded guilty to and were convicted of gathering around S$1,000 to buy firearms and food for an armed jihad against those who opposed their plan to topple the Bangladesh government. They were part of the first all-foreigner terror cell led by Mizanur Rahman, an S-Pass holder, detained under the Internal Security Act in Singapore.

Mizanur Rahman, 31, was sentenced to 60 months in jail. He was convicted of two counts of terrorism financing, including one for actively inviting members of the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB) — the terror cell which he started — from Feb 28 to March 27 to give money to be used for carrying out a terrorist act in Bangladesh. The amount he collected from March 20 to 25 came up to S$1,000, according to court documents. Two similar charges were taken into consideration in sentencing him.  

Rubel Miah, 26; and Md Jabed Kaisar, 30; were sentenced to 30 months in jail each. Sohel Hawlader, 29, was jailed for two years. The jail sentences for the four Bangladeshi men, who each pleaded guilty to one count of the charge, were backdated to May 27, the day they were brought to court.

They could have been jailed a maximum of 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both, for each charge.  

The prosecution had asked for 60 months for ringleader Mizanur Rahman, 30 months each for Rubel Miah and Jabath Kysar and 24 months for Sohel.

During the sentencing hearing, the prosecution noted that much havoc can be rocked with inexpensive weapons, like fertilisers and field bombs while the price paid by the society is far greater, and this was made poignant by recent terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and elsewhere.  

They highlighted two aggravating factors: That the four funded their group with a view of joining the Islamic State, one of the most dangerous terrorist organisations in the world; and that their actions had caused public disquiet.  

Actions such as plotting to finance terrorist acts such as killing non-believers strike at the very heart of Singapore's religious harmony, they said.

Two other ring members, Daulat Zaman, 34, and Leakot Ali Mamun, 29, are claiming trial for their charges. Daulat had told the court he did not know the money he contributed would be used to fund terrorism activities.  

During the sentencing, the four Bangladeshis were heavily guarded by 11 Gurkhas, four of whom stood with the Bangladeshis in the dock.  

All Bangladeshis expressed regret and remorse in court while they were sentenced. Speaking without an interpreter, Mizanur Rahman said that he had been misled by his friends and the media. ‘This is my very big mistake. I am very very sorry for this mistake and wrong activities. I am very remorseful.  

‘I have a new daughter and I want to see her. I promise you, I won’t involve (sic) in any other terrorism activities.’  

The district judge presiding over the case noted that terrorism is a clear and present danger. Terrorism financing and any act in support of terrorism must be condemned and deterred. Stiff punishments must be imposed to deter present offenders and like-minded persons from embarking in such activity, said the judge.

Mizanur Rahman had founded the ISB after failed attempts to obtain visas to Turkey and Algeria, through which he had hoped to travel to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Each member had sworn an oath to follow ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi till their death, and held specific roles and responsibilities, the court was told.

Mizan then made repeated calls for funds for purchasing arms and weapons for fighting. Everyone agreed that they would contribute part of their salaries to the cause, the court heard. Charges against the men stated amounts ranging from S$60 to S$1,360.  

In January, the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers here were arrested after they were found to be contemplating waging armed jihad overseas. All of them have been deported.