The Detention of Zulfikar ibn Muhammad Sharif

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In a statement released on the 29^th July, 2016, Zulfikar ibn Muhammad Sharif was detained under the Internal Security Act.  My only surprise is that it took so long for it to happen.  I am quite certain that many wrote in about our miscreant, and he was on the radar for some time.

The following is the relevant portions of the MHA press release:

29^th July 2016

Detention and Releases under the Internal Security Act

Order of Detention Issued against Zulfikar Shariff

1.         Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff (Zulfikar; Singaporean; aged 44), was arrested in Singapore and subsequently detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in July 2016 for terrorism-related activities.  Zulfikar had embarked on the path of radicalism as early as 2001 after reading jihadi-related material.  He was supportive of terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Jemaah Islamiyah, and advocated Muslims taking up arms in Afghanistan after the 11^th September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.

2.         Zulfikar resettled his family in Australia in 2002.  While in Australia, he continued to pursue radical ideology by joining the hardline Hizbut Tahrir organisation.  He was also influenced by the teachings of radical ideologues like Anwar al-Awlaki.  He established and maintained contact with radical preachers in Australia and overseas, like Musa Cerantonio and Anjem Choudary.  Zulfikar has supported terrorism and the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  He made numerous Facebook postings glorifying and promoting ISIS and their violent actions, while exploiting religion to legitimise the terrorist activities of ISIS.  He has further exhorted Muslims to take up arms and wage militant jihad in places like the Middle East, Palestinian territories, Myanmar and the Philippines.  To motivate Muslims to engage in armed jihad, Zulfikar proposed the creation of a support system for the families of the fighters.

3.         Zulfikar has made use of social media to propagate and spread his radical messages.  He considered his propagation of radical material as a form of jihad, by way of creating awareness of ISIS and promoting armed jihad.  Zulfikar has contributed to the radicalisation of at least two other Singaporeans.  One of them was Muhammad Shamin bin Mohamed Sidik (detained under the ISA for terrorism-related activities).  The other was Mohamed Saiddhin bin Abdullah, who was inspired by Zulfikar’s radical postings.  This included a photograph of Zulfikar with his children mimicking a pose commonly adopted by jihadi fighters, while standing in front of a black flag that is commonly used by jihadi terrorist groups.

4.         Zulfikar admitted that besides his intention to promote ISIS and armed jihad, he also wanted his online followers to reject the Western secular democratic nation-state system and instead establish an Islamic caliphate in its place, governed by shari’ah law.  He believes that violence should be used to achieve this goal if necessary.  To this end, Zulfikar had actively looked into holding training programmes aimed at radicalising young Singaporeans so that they would be persuaded into joining his extremist agenda.  It was also for the objective of realising the establishment of a global Islamic caliphate that he set up an online group called “Al-Makhazin” in 2013, and other “Al-Makhazin” Facebook platforms for Muslims to counter the Western media, while residing in Australia.  Zulfikar has admitted that he had an ulterior motive for setting up a Facebook page called “Al-Makhazin Singapore” which he used as a platform to agitate on Muslim issues in Singapore and attack some Singaporean Muslims who did not share his views.  His real agenda was in fact to provoke Muslims in Singapore into pushing for the replacement of the democratic system with an Islamic state in Singapore.  He said that he hid his ulterior motive from the Singaporean “Al-Makhazin Singapore” members.

5.         In view of the high level of the terrorism threat that Singapore currently faces, and the global terrorism threat posed by ISIS, Zulfikar’s promotion of violence and ISIS and his radicalising influence pose a security threat to Singapore.  At times he has tried to hide his real motivations, by putting out moderate sounding views.  But in reality, he believes in the use of violence to overthrow the democratic system of government, and the imposition of an Islamic caliphate.  He continues to support ISIS, and wants Singaporeans to do the same.  The Government takes a very serious view of efforts to undermine Singapore’s constitutional democracy, and will take firm and decisive action against any person who engages in such activities.  He has been served with an Order of Detention (OD) for a period of two years.

Restriction Order issued against Mohamed Saiddhin bin Abdullah

6.         Mohamed Saiddhin bin Abdullah (Saiddhin; Singaporean; aged 33), a radicalised businessman, was issued with a Restriction Order (RO) for a period of two years in Jul 2016.  He was radicalised through perusing radical online material and radical influences.  He identified Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff whom he befriended online as the person who had influenced him to support ISIS.  Saiddhin had looked up to Zulfikar and followed his postings; he was convinced by Zulfikar’s positive portrayal of ISIS and later started re-posting Zulfikar’s postings on ISIS as a form of jihad, emulating Zulfikar.  Saiddhin was so inspired by Zulfikar that he even emulated Zulfikar by photographing himself adopting the common pose of jihadi fighters while standing in front of an ISIS flag.  He posted these photographs online as a show of his solidarity with ISIS militants fighting in Syria and Iraq.

7.         Saiddhin was issued with an RO to prevent him from becoming further radicalised.

Re-Detention of Fadil bin Abdul Hamid

8.         Muhammad Fadil bin Abdul Hamid (Fadil; Singaporean; aged 27), was re-detained under the ISA for a period of two years in April 2016 as he intended to join a terrorist group like ISIS, to engage in armed violence in Syria.  Fadil was previously detained under the ISA from 2010 to 2012 when he was self-radicalised and had the intention to engage in armed violence in Afghanistan.  He was released from detention in 2012 and placed on an RO.

9.         Fadil had initially made some progress in reintegrating into society.  However, he later became attracted to radical online material again, like teachings of radical ideologues such as Anwar al-Awlaki and the propaganda of ISIS, and fell under its influence.  He became convinced that partaking in the violence in Syria was “justifiable jihad” and harboured the intention to fight alongside ISIS militants in Syria.  He also reverted to the belief that militant jihad was the easiest way to achieve martyrdom.  He had to be detained to prevent him from pursuing his violent agenda.

Restriction Order issued against Self-radicalised Singaporean Youth

10.       A 17-year-old male Singaporean, who recently graduated from a madrasah, was issued with an RO for a period of two years under the ISA in July 2016.  Investigations showed that he had become radicalised online after viewing pro-ISIS videos, websites and social media material.  He became convinced that ISIS’ violent actions were justified and harboured the intention to fight for ISIS in Syria in the future where he was prepared to die a martyr.  He had sought out other like-minded individuals online, and also tried to influence his friends with his pro-ISIS views.  Despite their advice and objections against ISIS, he persisted in his support for ISIS.

11.       To prevent him from going further down the path of radicalism and violence, he was issued with an RO.

A Detention Order means that a person is detained under the Internal Security Act.  A Detention Order is for a maximum period of two years, but may be renewed an indefinite number of times.  In contrast, a person issued with a Restriction Order must abide by several conditions and restrictions.  He is not permitted to change his residence or employment, or travel out of Singapore, without the prior approval of the Director, ISD.  He may also not issue public statements, address public meetings or print, distribute, contribute to any publication, hold office in, or be a member of any organisation, association or group without the prior approval of the Director, ISD.  This also includes a restriction on social media.

What is not said in this press release is that all parties involved are influenced by the Wahhabi sect, just like both radical preachers Zulfikar had contacts with and all the extremist organisations.

This is Zulfikar, 2^nd person from the right, posing in front of the ISIS flag, with the typical jihadi pose.

The following are some of the posts showing Zulfikar’s support for ISIS, his apology for their actions, his justification for their excesses and his mischievous undermining of national integrity by promoting a dichotomy between the Muslims and the “kuffar”.  Some of the other posts seems mundane when taken in isolation, but in the context of his support for ISIS and their global “caliphate”, are calculated to justify their actions.  He mischievously misquoted religious texts to justify beheadings, and other forms of oppression by ISIS.

There are also posts, not all of them here, where Zulfikar attacks Muslims who do not agree with him.  To him, we are “secularists”, “liberals” and “fake Muslims”; some of us directly named, and some of us not.  It is delicious irony that the very Religious Rehabilitation Group Zulfikar has attacked is the one that that is responsible for his rehabilitation and reintegration.  I am satisfied that he is put away.  There is no place in our society for these sorts.