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Singapore Minister Calls On Muslims To Reject Extremism
By IOL correspondent in Asia Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA, Jan. 15 (IslamOnline) - It is time for the Singapore Muslim community to reflect on what drove extremists to plot terror here, said Yaacob Ibrahim, who will soon become Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on Sunday.
The Muslim community in Singapore is still shell shocked by the announcement of the arrest of the alleged militants of the Al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islam group.
Several people, whose families were among those arrested, expressed confusion and disbelief but said they were not aware of the illicit activities of those arrested.
Most of them were educated in English based schools and not Malay schools where most Malays would attend.
Singapore’s government has released videotapes, maps and drawings said to have been found in Afghanistan among rubbles in Al-Qaeda hideouts.
Ibrahim called on the Muslim community in Singapore to examine if there are factors within that allowed the few extremists to emerge.
He did not elaborate on these factors in his speech, but later told reporters he believes these to be largely external.
"These 15 did not emerge from a poor country, neither are they a group of people who are perceived to be marginalized," he said.
Ibrahim added "they are ordinary Singaporeans...So I don't think the factors for the emergence of the group are internal to Singapore or to the Malay Muslim community. It's something external, just like how the Red Army emerged in Japan."
The vast majority of Muslims would “never get involved in militancy and terrorism,” he emphasized.
The 15 arrested have been sentenced to a two year jail term under the much criticized Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial.
There have been no comments on the proof handed over by the Singapore government, and made public on Saturday.
Ibrahim said small groups with twisted interests must not be allowed to represent the community, which has a half a million strong membership.
Muslims represent 15 percent of the 4 million strong population of Singapore.
Urging Muslims to speak out against "mindless acts", Ibrahim said. "Wherever Muslims gather in Singapore, we must be vocal in rejecting extremism. Individuals must never get the impression that extreme acts will get the quiet support or approval of the majority of their friends and family in the community."
Singapore announced the arrest of the 15, allegedly linked to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda last week. It claims 8 of those arrested had military training in Afghanistan.
It also accused the arrested members of the underground Jemaah Islam group of videotaping certain regions of the island where U.S. troops are normally transported when they arrive in Singapore.
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