SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman has been dealt with under the Internal Security Act ( ISA ) after being radicalised by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Hamizah Hamzah, a 56-year-old housewife, was issued with a restriction order last month, the Internal Security Department ( ISD ) said in a press release on Monday ( Feb 10 ).
A restriction order places restrictions on a person’s ability to change of home or work, travel abroad without ISD’s permission, or access social media and the internet.  ,
Hamizah’s radicalisation began after Hamas ‘ strikes on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, ISD said. She consumed content about Palestinian suffering and supported military operations carried out by the Axis of Resistance ( AOR ), a network of Islamist militant and terrorist organizations.  ,
She became angry with Israel and the Israel Defense Forces after joining social media platforms that promoted AOR’s harsh deeds. She became a “fervent admirer” of the Fy, and justified the aggressive behavior of its members, quite as Hamas, Hizbollah and the Houthis.  ,
She also had a strong admiration for Abu Obaidah, the spokesperson for Hamas, and was inclined to contact AOR-linked militants if needed.  ,
VIOLENT THREATS AGAINST ISRAEL SUPPORTERS ,
Since she could not actually join the fight, Hamizah promoted AOR online, posting material honoring military assault and martyrdom.  ,
She “was determined to win AOR aid, and she would make new accounts whenever her accounts were marked as for posting aggressive content,” according to ISD.  ,
Hamizah even verbally and physically assaulted Israeli adherents and urged people to use force against the nation’s defense forces. She managed some pro-AOR social internet groups, with membership ranging from 16 to over 1, 000.  ,
ISD said Hamizah” took confidence” in being the executive of these organizations, and felt responsible for spreading pro-AOR and anti-Israel stories in them.  ,
Although she had no intention of engaging in military violence, ISD noted that her unwavering support for the AOR and their harsh operations and willingness to spread propaganda raised questions for security.  ,
Her home was conscious of her radicalisation, as she consciously concealed her radical views for dread of censure.
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Individually, a 34-year-old Indonesian working as a cleaner in Singapore was arrested under the ISA in November last year and repatriated to Malaysia, said the ISD.
Saharuddin Saari’s radicalisation began in 2014 when he encountered ISIS-related information relating to the Palestinian issue. He endorsed ISIS in 2017 and pledged allegiance to its head Abu Bakr al-Baghdad, who passed away after he blew a murder vest in an US-led military raid on his sanctuary in Syria in October 2019.
Saharuddin continued to support ISIS and military warfare online even after Baghdadi’s death, aspirating to kill a saint and fight for an Islamist empire in Southeast Asia.  ,
He looked up ways to enter Syria and contacted ISIS insurgents for advice. Saharuddin was given travel tips from an online email who identified himself as a Malay ISIS fighter, but he was unable to pay for the trip.
He considered going to Gaza along with the Israeli-Hamas conflict in October 2023 and expressed his support for Hamas and Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( AQB ). Again, economic constraints prevented him from leaving.  ,
Saharuddin, according to ISD, had neither planned an assault on Singapore nor had radicalized other residents of the nation. He resisted using force if he thought” Singapore was supporting the foes of Islam” was going to.  ,
His work go was revoked in response to ISD’s investigation, and he was then repatriated to Malaysia and given over to the Malaysian Special Branch.  ,