S’porean detained under ISA for involvement in Yemen civil war; 3 others released from detention

• Sheik Heikel Khalid Bafana, 48, volunteered to take up arms alongside a faction in the Yemen civil war
• He also collected intelligence on Yemen for a foreign power
• He was arrested upon his return to Singapore last year
• ISD said that Sheik Heikel had acted in a manner “prejudicial to Singapore’s security and interests” 
• Separately, three Singaporeans who were detained under the ISA for involvement in terrorism-related activities have been released

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in March last year after he was found to be actively involved in the Yemen civil war and was a paid agent for a foreign power.

Sheik Heikel Khalid Bafana, 48, assisted one of the factions in the civil war while living in Yemen and volunteered to take up arms to fight alongside the faction, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 9).

It added that it had not disclosed this case earlier because investigations into his activities were “complex” and would have jeopardised ongoing investigations.

The ISD said it was publicising this case now to underline Singapore’s stern stance against anyone who “supports, promotes, undertakes or makes preparations to undertake armed violence”.

In its statement, the ISD said that Sheik Heikel also acted as a broker between this faction and the foreign power in an effort to secure equipment, supplies and funds to conduct military training.

Between 2012 and 2018, he collected intelligence on Yemen for the foreign power, an act which he was paid “substantial amounts” for.

Sheik Heikel and his family migrated to Yemen around 2008, where he ran a consultancy advising foreign companies on security risks and business opportunities. 

He stayed on in Yemen after 2011, even when the security situation there deteriorated and other Singaporeans were evacuated.

He was arrested upon his return to Singapore in February last year. His family members have not been implicated in his activities in Yemen, added the ISD. 

“Regardless of how they rationalise such violence ideologically, or where the violence takes place, such a person has demonstrated a dangerous tendency to support the use of violence. Sheik Heikel compounded this by serving the interests of a foreign power for financial gain,”  said the ISD. 

It added that Sheik Heikel had acted in a manner “prejudicial to Singapore’s security and interests”, by involving himself in a foreign armed conflict and working as a paid agent of a foreign power.

UPDATES OF OTHER CASES 

Separately, the ISD provided updates of other cases.

Bangladeshi Ahmed Faysal, 26, who was arrested last month for terrorism-related activities was issued with a detention order under the ISA on Nov 30 to facilitate investigations into his activities.

Meanwhile, three Singaporeans who were detained under the ISA for involvement in terrorism-related activities have been released for showing good progress in their rehabilitation. They were assessed to no longer pose a security threat requiring preventive detention.

All three have been placed on a Restriction Order, which means they must abide by several conditions, such as seeking the approval of authorities if they wish to change their residence or leave Singapore.

Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid was released in April this year. The 31-year-old had previously intended to engage in armed violence in Afghanistan and had also harboured the intention to fight alongside Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) or other militant groups in Syria.

Husaini Ismail, 61, was released in June this year. He is a former member of Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and had been involved in the plot to hijack an airplane and crash it into Changi airport in 2002.

Rosli Hamzah, 54, was released in August this year. The 54-year-old self-radicalised individual had harboured the intention to fight alongside Isis in Syria.

Restriction Orders against five other Singaporeans were allowed to lapse upon their expiry as these individuals had shown good progress in their rehabilitation, said the ISD.

They are:

• Mohamed Mohideen Mohamed Jais, 30, who had performed armed sentry duties in Yemen while pursuing religious studies there from 2009 to 2011

• A self-radicalised Isis supporter who was issued with a Restriction Order in 2016 at the age of 17. He was not named due to his age when he was issued the order 

• Mohamad Reiney Noor Mohd, 30, who started supporting Isis after coming across online propaganda

• Asrul Alias, 37, who actively searched for pro-Isis material online and shared them on social media

• Ishak Mohamed Noohu, 59, a former JI member who had been involved in the plot to hijack an airplane and crash it into Changi Airport in 2002