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Mas Selamat given shelter by his brother's familyDate : 29 November 2010 The Straits Times - PM heartened by Malay community 29 November 2010 By Zakir Hussain PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday he was heartened by how the Malay community reacted recently to the latest disclosures about Mas Selamat Kastari. 'The Malay community took a clear stand that what Mas Selamat and his family members had done was wrong,' said Mr Lee. The Jemaah Islamiah terrorist leader had been harboured by some family members in Tampines for a night on Feb 29, 2008, two days after his escape from Whitley Road Detention Centre. The disclosure came in a ministerial statement by Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in Parliament last Monday. Speaking yesterday at the biennial People's Action Party (PAP) conference, Mr Lee also lauded the reactions of non-Malays who understood that the actions of Mas Selamat's family members were not a reflection of the Malay community. 'Other communities will not let this affect their attitude towards our Malay citizens, neighbours and friends,' he said. He noted that by handling such incidents in an open and sensitive manner, Singaporeans of various races can build trust and draw closer together. In his Malay speech, Mr Lee also spoke about the 'lively and open' dialogue he had with young Malay-Muslim activists at the Community Leaders' Forum on Sunday last week. He said he was glad that many Malay professionals have done well and are taking an active interest in issues concerning their community. They were also thinking of new ways to help others in their community succeed, as they had, he noted. He expressed confidence that as the community progresses further, it will be more integrated with the other communities. 'It is proof that government policies to uplift every Singaporean have worked. We have enabled every community to progress by dint of their own efforts,' he added. 'The PAP has garnered strong support from Singaporeans, including the Malays,' he said. 'They know the PAP is with them. It looks after their interests. It fulfils its promises, and leads them to achieve prosperity for all of us.' (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. TODAY - Mas Selamat's family's actions 'not reflective of Malay-Muslim community' 29 November 2010 by Imelda Saad Aziz SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has commended the way Singaporeans reacted to news that fugitive terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari had help from his family after his escape from detention. In his first remarks on the revelation, Mr Lee said the Malay-Muslim community had taken a clear stand that what Mas Selamat and his family did was wrong. Speaking in Malay at the People's Action Party conference, Mr Lee also noted how Malay-Muslims did not let the incident affect ethnic relations. He said Singaporeans understand that the actions of Mas Selamat's family are not reflective of the Malay-Muslim community. "The other races will also not let this incident to affect their views of our Malay community," Mr Lee said. "By overcoming this incident openly and positively, multi-racial Singaporeans have tightened their bonds with each other." It was revealed in Parliament last week that after Mas Selamat had escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, his niece Nur Aini Asmom hid him in her family's Tampines flat. Nur Aini, then a 25-year-old trainee teacher, helped to destroy the clothing he wore to the flat, including the attire he had been wearing while in detention. The next day, she applied make-up on her uncle and put a tudung on him to disguise him as a woman. Her father Asmom, who is Mas Selamat's brother, and her mother Aisah, also agreed to harbour the fugitive. Nur Aini, Asmom and Aisah were jailed for 18 months, 12 months and three months, respectively, while Mas Selamat's nephew Mahadir received a stern warning. (With thanks to TODAYonline.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from TODAY. Lianhe Zaobao - 马来社群反对"藏马" 李总理感到安慰 29 November 2010 马来族社群坚决反对回教祈祷团新加坡分支头目马士沙拉末及窝藏他的亲人的行径,令李显龙总理感到欣慰。 他昨天在行动党干部大会上以马来语演讲时,特地提到马来族社群对此所采取的明确立场令人鼓舞,认为马士沙拉末和他兄长一家都做错了。 "非马来族也理解这家人的行动并不代表整个马来族社群,也不会让这起事件影响他们对马来族同胞的态度。我们公开且敏感地解决这些问题,各族国人将能建立互信及更紧密地联系在一起。" 内政部长兼律政部长尚穆根上星期一向国会披露马士沙拉末近三年前逃离拘留所后,因得到哥哥一家窝藏,才躲过警方的搜捕。 法庭本月18日已以窝藏国家重犯罪名,根据角色轻重,对这一家人宣判不同的刑罚。其中窝藏罪情节最为严重的马士沙拉末侄女努尔艾尼被监禁18个月,哥哥阿斯蒙和嫂嫂艾莎则分别被判坐牢12个月和3个月。至于侄儿马哈迪尔,则因知情不报而接到严厉警告。 (With thanks to SPH - Lianhe Zaobao.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Berita Harian - Menilai semua faktor Mas Selamat lolos 29 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Berita Harian article (With thanks to SPH - Berita Harian) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Berita Harian - PM puji reaksi masyarakat Melayu dalam isu penglibatan keluarga Mas Selamat 29 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Berita Harian article (With thanks to SPH - Berita Harian) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Tamil Murasu - Malay Muslims did not waver in Mas Selamat episode 29 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Tamil Murasu article (With thanks to SPH - Tamil Murasu) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. TODAY - Don't point finger at community: President 25 November 2010 by Joanne Chan President S R Nathan has urged Singaporeans not to point a finger at the Malay-Muslim community over Mas Selamat's escape aided by his relatives. He said the country had done the best it could to be on the lookout for the fugitive, but the exhortations fell on deaf ears in one instance. Mr Nathan was speaking to reporters at the end of his state visit to Bahrain. "It's an isolated case of one individual, of one family, doing something that is contrary to the interest of the rest of us. So all I hope is that, we will not point a finger at the community, that we will take it in isolation and measure it on that basis." Joanne Chan (With thanks to TODAYonline.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from TODAY. The Straits Times - Mas Selamat given shelter by his brother's family 23 November 2010 Three jailed for feeding, housing and disguising him before he fled S'pore By Jeremy Au Yong FUGITIVE terrorist Mas Selamat had help in Singapore after he made his dramatic escape from detention - that was the surprise revelation made in Parliament yesterday by Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam. He was harboured in a brother's Housing Board flat in Tampines two days after he broke free from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC) in 2008, and provided with food, money and a disguise. The accomplices: his brother Asmom, Asmom's wife Aisah, and their children Nur Aini and Mahadir. Three were convicted last week and sentenced to between three months and 18 months in jail. The fourth, Mahadir, was let off with a stern warning. The disclosure by Mr Shanmugam of what investigators uncovered from questioning Mas Selamat, 49, answers a question Singaporeans asked following his escape: Did he act alone or was he helped by others? This is what is now known of what happened after Mas Selamat's escape from detention. Two days after the jailbreak, he headed to the home of older brother Asmom, then 58. But it was not Asmom he wanted help from. The two had not kept in touch for years. Rather, he went there seeking his niece Nur Aini, whom he mistakenly believed would be home alone. He thought Nur Aini's parents would be in Johor. Dr Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert, told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat probably sought the then 25-year-old trainee teacher because she was young and 'he thought he could manipulate her'. Indeed, Nur Aini was the one who let him into the flat. Her 58-year-old mother, Aisah, had reservations but Nur Aini persuaded her to go along. She let him use her bedroom, provided him with food and water, and helped him destroy the clothes he had worn to the flat, including those issued to him at the detention centre. Before Mas Selamat left, she also helped him with his disguise - she applied make-up on him and secured a tudung over his head. She also gave him several items: a set of clothes, a baseball cap, water, a snack, an illumination stick, airtight resealable plastic bags and a backpack, among other items. She also gave him a map that he had asked for showing Singapore and a part of Malaysia. Despite her initial reluctance to let Mas Selamat in, Aisah gave him an ez-link card, some paracetamol, and a hair net he wore as part of his disguise. On his part, Asmom gave Mas Selamat S$100, RM100 (S$42) and some traditional medicine. He found out that Mas Selamat was in the house only upon returning from work in the early hours of March 1. He knew it was wrong and was unhappy about it, but decided to let him stay. Mahadir had the smallest role among the four, and thus was let off with a stern warning. He learnt that the family was harbouring Mas Selamat when he returned home on Feb 29, but did not render any specific help to his uncle. In fact, he was not home for most of the time Mas Selamat was there. Nur Aini, Asmom and Aisah were charged on Nov 10. They pleaded guilty to the charges, and were convicted and sentenced on Nov 18. Nur Aini, by then a Malay language teacher, received the heaviest sentence of 18 months, Asmom 12 months, and Aisah three months. The Straits Times understands that the hearing was held in camera, and that the family had legal representation. In his parliamentary statement, Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister, strongly condemned the actions of the family. He said: 'Asmom's and his family's decision to harbour Mas Selamat and provide him with material support that enabled him to escape to Malaysia was very wrong, illegal, and had grave security implications.' Noting that Mas Selamat was a hardened terrorist who was plotting attacks on Singapore, he added that the family's actions had 'placed Singapore's and Singaporeans' security in serious jeopardy as Mas Selamat would thereby be able to resume his terrorist activities'. Even with yesterday's revelations, much about what Mas Selamat did in the days after he escaped remains unknown. Mas Selamat has not been forthcoming during interrogations and often changed his story, said Mr Shanmugam. 'As to how Mas Selamat made his way to Asmom's flat and how he subsequently made his way to Malaysia, the account given by Mas Selamat is still subject to verification. 'It would therefore not be productive to set it out at this time,' he said. Nine MPs posed questions to the minister following the statement, on everything from the work of the police to the impact of the case on racial harmony. Mr Alvin Yeo (Hong Kah GRC) asked if investigations had uncovered a larger support network for Mas Selamat. Replying that there was 'no specific evidence' of one, Mr Shanmugam reiterated, however, that 'we rule nothing out'. (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. The Straits Times - Was flat being watched, ask MPs 23 November 2010 That Mas Selamat could go undetected in flat 'was not a security lapse' By Jeremy Au Yong THE work of Singapore's security forces came under scrutiny yesterday from MPs as they wondered how terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari was able to evade detection while spending the night at the home of an elder brother. Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked if the home of Mas Selamat's brother, Asmom, was under surveillance in the manhunt that followed the escape. Nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan chimed in: 'Given the fact that there can't be that many immediate members of the family, on the day of the escape, shouldn't it have been standard operating procedure for the security forces to actually go down to the homes of the immediate family members?' Ms Ellen Lee (Sembawang GRC) asked if police questioning of family members had been thorough enough, as the brother's family appeared to have managed to keep their cool. In response, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam mounted a stout defence of the security forces, stating categorically that the authorities had acted correctly in the search for Mas Selamat. To Ms Lee's question, he noted that interviews produce the best results when some facts are already known and the interviewee can be confronted with these facts. This was why a recent interview with Asmom's family yielded confirmation of their role in harbouring Mas Selamat when an earlier interview in March 2008 had yielded nothing. To Mr Nair and Mr Viswa, he explained that Mas Selamat's loose network of friends, relatives and former Jemaah Islamiah (JI) associates was extensive, and included a few hundred people. Mr Shanmugam declined to say if Asmom's flat had been under surveillance, arguing that this was a matter of operational security and 'not in the interest of our country for us to disclose these matters'. He assured MPs, however, that his ministry had reviewed what was done, and he was 'satisfied that all the necessary steps had been taken'. Giving their take on the revelations yesterday, security experts and political watchers said they did not think there had been a security lapse resulting in Mas Selamat managing to go undetected in Tampines. Singapore Management University law lecturer Eugene Tan noted that Mas Selamat chose a counter-intuitive course of action. He said: 'If I were him, I suppose the last thing I would do would be to call upon a family member and risk implicating them. What I would do is try and leave the country.' Security consultant Susan Sim said it was not realistic to expect the authorities to watch all of the terrorist's contacts simultaneously. She said: 'There are several layers in a manhunt. You start with previous comrades. Then you widen to people he worked with and extended family. 'Unless you have unlimited resources, there are only so many people you can watch at a time. Mas Selamat had hundreds of contacts. He was a bus mechanic. Do you go after all his former colleagues? Do you engage in a witch hunt, or act on the basis of information? We all like to connect the dots, but usually the lines are visible only after the fact.' Terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna, from the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), believed that in this case, former JI members would likely have been watched first. 'Traditionally, the JI had used its members for escape, not family members. So guided by past information, the authorities may have given priority to JI members, especially since Mas Selamat had not been in touch with this brother for years,' he said, adding that having more personnel might be the only solution. Even then, Mas Selamat might be able to slip past surveillance, Dr Kumar Ramakrishna, another RSIS terrorism expert, said. 'These terrorists receive training in counter-surveillance. Mas Selamat was probably very good at it,' he said. For private investigator and former policeman Lionel De Souza, an HDB flat was a difficult place to conduct surveillance. 'It depends on the flat, whether it's an internal or external corridor and whether the flat is on a high floor.You need a minimum of three people to watch one target. There is no place to hide and conceal yourself while watching. You can sit at the void deck, but how long can you sit there? People will get suspicious,' he said. (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. The Straits Times - 'Mas Selamat's extended family numbers more than 100' 23 November 2010 After Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam revealed how Mas Selamat's relatives sheltered him, MPs asked if the homes of the fugitive's relatives had been watched, how they had been questioned, and if the episode would hurt community relations. This is an edited transcript:
Mr K. Shanmugam: Sir, investigations following Mas Selamat's escape from WRDC identified a loose network of friends, relatives and ex-JI associates. This totalled a few hundred people including Mas Selamat's own extended family which alone numbers more than a hundred. Investigations were conducted on all of them. Further actions were prioritised and pursued for those cases where there was a necessity based on intelligence. For obvious operational security reasons I cannot talk about who were or who were not specifically subjected to surveillance, and what sort of surveillance was conducted. As for Asmom, Asmom and Mas Selamat had not been in contact for many years. Asmom and his family never visited Mas Selamat when he was in detention prior to his escape. Nevertheless, ISD interviewed Asmom on March 3, a few days after Asmom had given refuge to Mas Selamat in his home. Asmom failed to inform the authorities of his contact with Mas Selamat at the interview. At that point in time, there was no evidence or intelligence to warrant any further action against him.
Mr Shanmugam: Let me deal with the point on tudung first. I think whether someone is picked up for scrutiny, whether or not he or she is wearing a tudung, really depends on security assessments. It's difficult to answer these questions in a vacuum. If there is an intelligence assessment and there is a necessity to check, there would be a check. If there is no reason to check, there would be none. As to the broader question, the Government has consistently stated over the years that the actions of a few are not a reflection of the Malay-Muslim community as a whole. Our position remains unchanged. Over the years, the actions of the Malay-Muslim community have borne that out. They have been very supportive of our efforts to build a tolerant united community, and have consistently spoken out against violence in the name of any religion. There is no reason for employers or anyone else to shy away from employing members of the Malay-Muslim community or for anyone to use this incident as an excuse to target members of the Malay-Muslim community. In the civil service, the recruitment policy is based on meritocracy. I can state categorically that this incident will not affect the Government's recruitment policies. Employers in the private sector should similarly hire individuals based on their individual suitability for the job. And as for whether there is any further evidence that people beyond this family are involved, we don't have any such specific evidence for now.
Mr Shanmugam: I think, to be specific, Mr Ong is referring to the anxieties of the Malay community. Sir, I've made it clear that the three individuals committed a criminal offence of harbouring a prisoner of State. The threat Mas Selamat posed was a threat that was posed to Singapore as a whole and to all the communities in Singapore. His actions put all Singaporeans at risk. As such, all Singaporeans across the communities will feel disappointed with the actions of Asmom and his family. Their actions should not be projected on the Malay-Muslim community at large. I've said earlier many members of the Malay-Muslim community assisted in the hunt for Mas Selamat in 2008. The general response of the Malay-Muslim community shows that they view Mas Selamat in the same way that other communities do and, therefore, we have to look at this harbouring of Mas Selamat by Asmom and his family in context. We cannot allow the actions of these three persons to affect the state of communal relations, the trust and goodwill that has been built up over many years between our various communities, especially between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. We will continue to emphasise the importance of good race relations for the security and progress of Singapore.
Mr Shanmugam: Counselling services will be offered to them and though there is no specific evidence of them being influenced by radical JI ideology, religious counselling will also be offered to them.
Mr Shanmugam: When they were interviewed in March of 2008 obviously they were not forthcoming. However, when confronted with the facts in October of this year, they independently verified and confirmed having harboured Mas Selamat. They made their statements to the magistrate who took down their statements. I don't know whether you categorise that as forthcoming or not, but they were prepared to tell the truth when it was clear that the truth was out. Were the sentences too light? We have to start by remembering one fact, which is that the sentences were meted out by the court. They were based on submissions by both the prosecution and the defence. The sentences in our view reflect the different degrees of involvement of the family harbouring and aiding Mas Selamat. Nur Aini was obviously the most culpable. She has been given the longest jail sentence. The other two received shorter sentences probably because of their lesser involvement. The court is likely to have given weight to the fact that the assistance was not premeditated; rather, the three persons appear to have acted on misguided instincts of family ties on the spur of the moment. Aisah, who was reluctant to let Mas Selamat in, is a housewife who was persuaded by Nur Aini, and it appears that Asmom may also have been initially unhappy about Mas Selamat being in the flat though he allowed Mas Selamat to stay. But having said that, they did commit a serious offence and have thus been given custodial sentences. Mahadir was issued with a stern warning in lieu of prosecution. He had not reported to the authorities that Mas Selamat was in his family's flat. But unlike the others, he also did not render any specific assistance to Mas Selamat and was not in the flat most of the time when Mas Selamat was taking refuge in it. His culpability is less severe than that of the rest of the family. About Nur Aini's background. At the time that she harboured Mas Selamat, Nur Aini was a trainee teacher. At the time of her arrest this year, she was working as a Malay language teacher. There is however no indication that either she or her parents subscribe to the radical ideology held by Mas Selamat. They had failed to differentiate right from wrong when they decided to help Mas Selamat. They should have known better.
Mr Shanmugam: We're naturally disappointed that despite the intensive and massive effort that was made to track him down, Mas Selamat managed to slip through and to take shelter with Asmom and his family. That having been said, the member will remember that I said on Mas Selamat's side alone - excluding his wife's side - just taking into account his relatives, a loose network, they number more than 100. I don't want to go into details of when what was done or what surveillance was done because these are operational security matters and it is not in the interest of our country for us to disclose these matters. However, the member can be assured that what was done has been reviewed and I am satisfied that all the necessary steps were taken.
Mr Shanmugam: There is no specific evidence of a larger support network for Mas Selamat in Singapore that continues to exist. However, I want to be very clear that we rule nothing out. We can only go on the basis of current evidence and current investigations, and that's the best I can say on the basis of current investigations. As to what lessons there are based on this episode, I think a number of statements had been made by DPM Wong. The escape itself was obviously a focus. I think it was due to, if I can summarise it, some oversight and complacency setting in at WRDC and it is a point from which both ISD and the agencies have a lot of takeaways. As a result, many changes have been made and WRDC itself is a very different institution right now. I think the key takeaway from all of this is each time a lapse occurs, we analyse what happened and we determine not to repeat it and also do not allow ourselves to be brought down by that. As a result, ISD redoubled their efforts to make sure that they recover from the fact that Mas Selamat escaped. And that is why through their efforts we were able to get him back, albeit with the assistance of the Malaysian authorities. ISD never doubted that they could get him back and they did so.
Mr Shanmugam: Ms Lee is drawing pretty large conclusions from a fairly narrow statement made by me. But let's go to the nub of the question. I said Asmom had been interviewed on March 3, 2008 and he didn't disclose anything. Does it necessarily lead to the conclusions that Ms Lee has drawn, that the investigators were either not experienced or how was it that he was able to keep his cool and why is it that we were not able to get the fact that they had harboured Mas Selamat? Ms Lee is a lawyer. Members of the House will also appreciate, you get the best results out of an investigation when you know some of the facts and are able to corner the person. I had pointed out in my statement that the intelligence at that point in time did not warrant us to take any view other than that what Asmom was saying was accurate. In October 2010, we knew more and it therefore enabled us to get different results from the interviews that took place in 2008. I think we should stop way short of talking about whether the investigative procedures were good or not good. But I can assure Ms Lee that not just in ISD but also in the police force as a whole, we take the investigative process very seriously. DPM Wong started out a process where we train a cadre of investigative officers who are very skilled and who would be thoroughly professional in the interest of everyone. So that process is continuing. Nothing here necessitates a review of that process.
Mr Shanmugam: There was no indication to us that this particular family, Asmom's family, was in any need of counselling. But, as it were, I think a better answer to the member's question would be this: Member has assumed that Mas Selamat thought he would get help and deliberately made his way to this flat. In my statement I pointed out that Mas Selamat thought that there would only be one person in the house, Nur Aini. That seems to have been his primary motive, not because he thought that the entire family would help him. (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. The Straits Times - Family's actions 'do not reflect Malay-Muslim community' 23 November 2010 Incident must not affect trust among racial groups: Shanmugam By Zakir Hussain THE actions of Mas Selamat Kastari's brother Asmom and his family in helping him escape two years ago are not a reflection of the wider Malay-Muslim community, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament. The community, he noted, had disapproved of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leader's deeds, and took part in the manhunt for him after he broke out of Whitley Road Detention Centre in 2008. 'We should therefore not allow this episode to affect the trust and goodwill that has been built up over the years between our different communities,' he said. 'Instead, this episode should reinforce how important it is for every Singaporean to unite together and assist the security agencies to overcome the threat of terrorism from a small number of persons in our society.' Mr Shanmugam made these points in a ministerial statement updating the House on ongoing investigations into how the former fugitive escaped. Several MPs sought clarifications that the matter would not affect relations among the various communities. Dr Maliki Osman (Sembawang GRC) said it was 'quite shocking to receive this news that Mas Selamat had actually been assisted by his extended family members given the fact that all of Singapore were concerned during that period and given the massive manhunt that took place'. Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC) also sought assurance that there would not now be unnecessary scrutiny of Malay-Muslim women wearing the tudung, for example at checkpoints or when they seek employment. He was referring to the fact that, after leaving his brother's flat in Tampines, Mas Selamat wore a headscarf to disguise himself as a woman to evade detection. Mr Shanmugam said whether a person is picked for scrutiny does not depend on what he or she is wearing but on security assessments. 'The Government has consistently stated over the years that the actions of a few are not a reflection of the Malay-Muslim community as a whole,' he said. 'Our position remains unchanged.' He added that Malay-Muslims have been supportive of Government efforts to build a tolerant, united community, and have consistently spoken out against violence in the name of any religion. 'There is no reason for employers, or anyone else, to shy away from employing members of the Muslim community or for anyone to use this incident as an excuse to target members of the Malay-Muslim community,' he said. Noting that recruitment to the civil service is based on meritocracy, he said: 'I can state categorically that this incident will not affect the Government's recruitment policies. 'Employers in the private sector should similarly hire individuals based on their individual suitability for the job.' Dr Ong Seh Hong (Marine Parade GRC) asked Mr Shanmugam if he thought the incident would have an adverse impact on communal relations. He also asked what the Ministry of Home Affairs would do to allay any anxiety the Malay-Muslim community may have. Mr Shanmugam replied that Singaporeans across all communities will feel disappointed with the actions of Asmom and his family, and that Malay-Muslim Singaporeans view Mas Selamat in the same way other communities do. The harbouring of the JI leader by his relatives, therefore, had to be seen in context. Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) also asked about efforts to extend rehabilitation services to the Asmom family. Mr Shanmugam said counselling services will be offered to them, although there is no specific evidence of them being influenced by radical JI ideology. (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. The Straits Times - Yaacob: I'm very disappointed, but good work must go on 23 November 2010 THIS is the text of Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim's statement on the fact that Mas Selamat's family members had aided him in his escape: 'I am very disappointed with what has been revealed. Harbouring is a very serious offence - more so when it involves a wanted fugitive who was a threat to the whole country - at a time when everyone was deeply concerned and actively looking out for him. There can be no excuse or sufficient explanation that will help us get over the disappointment. I am disappointed because we know that Singaporeans from all backgrounds have come together since 2002 - the Malay/Muslim community very prominently - to keep the lid on the danger of terrorism: reporting suspicious activity, counselling detainees, supporting their spouses and children, going out to the public to disabuse any notion that violence against the innocent is tolerated in Islam, and so on. We have also come together to build strong ties among faith leaders, and among fellow Singaporeans at the neighbourhoods and communities. So there is tremendous disappointment. But we accept it and the good work at all levels must continue. So we continue to build understanding and confidence, and enhance safety and security to emerge from this episode stronger as a society.' (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. TODAY - Niece harboured and helped Mas Selamat 23 November 2010 25-year-old trainee teacher also persuaded her parents to help fugitive terrorist by Zul Othman SINGAPORE - Some 48 hours after Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from Whitley Road Detention Centre, while thousands of armed security personnel were searching the island for him, the fugitive terrorist found refuge, thanks to his niece Nur Aini Asmom, who let him into her family's Tampines flat. Nur Aini, then a 25-year-old trainee teacher, let him rest in her bedroom, gave him food and water and helped to destroy the clothing he wore to the flat, including the attire he had been wearing while under detention. The next day, she applied make-up on her uncle and put a tudung on him so as to disguise him as a woman. Before he left the flat, she gave him a set of new clothes, a baseball cap, water, a snack, an illumination stick, air-tight re-sealable plastic bags to pack the items and a backpack to carry them. At his request, she also gave him a map of Singapore showing part of Malaysia. Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam disclosed these details yesterday before a rapt Parliament, after investigators were able to verify some parts of Mas Selamat's escape from Singapore. In a ministerial statement, he set out the role of three family members who helped the former Jemaah Islamiah leader to evade capture despite the largest manhunt in Singapore's history. Well aware of his fugitive status Mas Selamat's sister-in-law Aisah had her reservations, but Nur Aini persuaded her mother to let him into the flat that was owned by her mother and Mas Selamat's brother, Asmom. In fact, it appears that his niece was precisely the person whom Mas Selamat had sought. Mr Shanmugam said: "He believed that Asmom and his wife were living in their house in Johor ... Mas Selamat believed it would be safe for him at Asmom's house as only Nur Aini would be there and that she would render assistance to him." Eventually, her parents, both aged 58 then, also offered Mas Selamat help. Asmom, who returned home in the early hours of March 1, 2008, was at first "unhappy" to find his younger brother there, but he ended up giving Mas Selamat $100 and RM100 ($42) "to facilitate his escape from Singapore to Malaysia", said Mr Shanmugam. Asmom also gave Mas Selamat traditional medicine to keep in his backpack, whilst Aisah gave the fugitive an EZ-Link card and hair net, which he wore as part of his disguise, and some paracetamol. On March 3, 2008, the family was interviewed by the authorities. "They deliberately withheld the information," said Mr Shanmugam. It was only last month, "after being confronted with the facts", that they admitted to what had happened. On Nov 10, they were arrested and charged. Last Thursday, Nur Aini - who was a Malay language teacher - Asmom and Aisah were jailed for 18 months, 12 months and three months, respectively, for harbouring a prisoner of State, an offence under Section 130 of the Penal Code. Mas Selamat's nephew Mahadir received a stern warning. The then-29-year-old had discovered his uncle's presence, but did not report it to the authorities. But, he did not render any "specific assistance" and was not in the flat most of the time, said Mr Shanmugam. The Minister said the authorities are still trying to verify how Mas Selamat, now 49, made it to the Tampines flat and then to Malaysia. Investigators only learned of his relatives' involvement after he was handed back two months ago to Singapore by the Malaysian authorities, who recaptured him in May last year. There is no evidence his niece's family are influenced by "radical ideology", said Mr Shanmugam, but he stressed that their decision to harbour Mas Selamat and provide him with material support that enabled him to escape to Malaysia was "very wrong, illegal and had grave security implications". They will also be counselled, said the minister, who called on all communities to not allow this episode to affect the trust and goodwill that have been built over the years. Mr Yang Razali Kassim, senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, echoed Mr Shanmugam's call but was also concerned about the "security lapse" uncovered by the findings. "Following his escape, many people had assumed that the authorities had imposed a security dragnet nation-wide, especially on places Mas Selamat would likely turn to for help. This would include members of his extended family in Singapore," said Mr Yang Razali. "Had there been surveillance on his brother's flat in Tampines, Mas Selamat would have been nabbed." Yesterday, Mr Shanmugam declined to divulge who specifically was put under surveillance following Mas Selamat's escape due to operational security reasons. The minister said: "Asmom failed to inform the authorities of his contact with Mas Selamat at the interview. At the point in time, there was no evidence or intelligence to warrant any further action against him." (With thanks to TODAYonline.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from TODAY. Berita Harian - Rentetan Peristiwa 23 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Berita Harian article BH - Pelajar madrasah diseru bantu kekang ganas.pdf (With thanks to SPH - Berita Harian) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Berita Harian - Shanmugam beri jaminan hubungan kaum, dasar ambil pekerja tidak terjejas 23 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Berita Harian article (With thanks to SPH - Berita Harian) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Berita Harian - Tiga ahli keluarga dijel kerana lindung Mas Selamat 23 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Berita Harian article (With thanks to SPH - Berita Harian) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Lianhe Zaobao - 窝藏"逃马" 兄长一家被判刑23 November 2010 内长强调这家人行为不反映马来社群想法 ● 周殊钦 报道 近三年前逃离拘留所后受警方展开新加坡史无前例的全国大搜捕的回教祈祷团分支头目马士沙拉末,原来是得到兄长一家窝藏,才躲过有如天罗地网般的搜查。 内政部长兼律政部长尚穆根昨天向国会披露这段内情和宣布他兄长一家已受到法律制裁时,立即震撼了国会议事大厅,多达十名议员纷纷起身表示不齿家人所为和追问详情。 他们质问警方事发后难道没对马士沙拉末(Mas Selamat Kastari)的直系亲属进行调查,这户家庭又是否将接受辅导。 法庭上星期四在没旁听者在场的情况下,以窝藏国家重犯罪名,根据角色的轻重,对这一家人宣判不同的刑罚。其中窝藏罪最为严重的马士沙拉末侄女努尔艾尼(27岁)被监禁18个月,哥哥阿斯蒙(60岁)和嫂嫂艾莎(60岁)则分别判坐牢12个月和3个月。至于侄儿马哈迪尔(31岁),则因知情不报而接到严厉警告。 尚穆根指出,阿斯蒙一家协助马士沙拉末逃跑,让国人感到失望是可以理解的。不过,他强调这家人的行为并不反映本地反对马士沙拉末行径的广大马来族社群的想法。 为此,他呼吁人们千万不可因这起事件而影响我国多元种族与多元宗教之间所建立起来的信任和善意。 "这一事件反而应该促使每个国人都团结起来,协助安全机构克服社会上少数人所构成的恐怖主义威胁。" 主管回教事务的环境及水源部长雅国博士在尚穆根向国会发表部长声明后,对记者的询问作出反应时,也对此表示十分失望,认为这对主要的马来族社群这些年来积极反恐的努力是个打击,并希望社会各方继续促进各族之间的理解和互信,使新加坡社会在这起事件后变得更为强大。 继副总理黄根成上月针对这名在今年九月底从马来西亚遣返新加坡的逃犯的调查情况,向国会作调查进展报告后,尚穆根昨天也在部长声明中向国会报告当局至今对他取证的结果。 据尚穆根透露,马士沙拉末在前年2月27日逃离内部安全局的惠德里路拘留所两天后,潜逃到他哥哥在淡滨尼的住家,以为当时只有侄女努尔艾尼一人居住,可以要求她帮助。努尔艾尼当时是一名实习教师,在本月被捕时已是正式的马来文教师。 不过,阿斯蒙一家四口当时都住在淡滨尼组屋。虽然他和妻子艾莎对蓄意窝藏通缉犯感到有些不自在,但是他们最终被女儿劝服,让马士沙拉末在他们家里住了两晚,之后还为他准备了一些物资和金钱,供他逃离新加坡。 在这个过程中,马哈迪尔虽然知情,但是并未为马士沙拉末提供任何形式的帮助。 尚穆根指出,阿斯蒙、艾莎和努尔艾尼是在知道全国正在搜捕马士沙拉末的情况下,故意窝藏了这个国家逃犯。他们甚至在马士沙拉末离开他们的家后,在当局于同年3月3日与他们谈话时,刻意隐瞒这个信息。直到当局上月搬出事实后,才承认他们的行为。 "阿斯蒙和他的家人决定窝藏马士沙拉末,并向他提供物资,让他逃到马来西亚的做法是个极大的错误,而且这么做也是非法的。这其中也存在严重的安全隐患。" 至于马士沙拉末是如何在搜捕行动还在进行时去到兄长家,以及过后如何潜逃到马国,他表示由于供证时并非完全诚实的马士沙拉末的说法还需当局进一步核实,目前还不宜公布更多详情。 他提醒说,马士沙拉末是接受过卡伊达组织训练的极端恐怖主义分子,自上世纪90年代就数度参与回祈团计划袭击新加坡的阴谋。因此,窝藏和协助他逃离我国将严重危及国家安全。而政府也在2008年2月28日清楚表明任何人向他提供援助,将被视为犯下严重罪行。 尚穆根所叙述的经过令议员感到震惊。国家发展部高级政务次长孟理齐博士随后提出询问时,对有人竟然在当时全国那么关注马士沙拉末事件时,向他提供援助感到难以置信。 考虑到阿斯蒙一家人错误行为的严重性,他质疑法庭对他们的判刑是否过轻。 对此,尚穆根解释这家人并非有预谋地窝藏逃犯,而且法庭是在听取了控辩双方的陈词之后,才针对各人不同的犯罪轻重程度作出裁决。 (With thanks to SPH - Lianhe Zaobao.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Lianhe Zaobao - 议员质疑警方搜查能力 尚穆根加以驳斥 23 November 2010 窝藏逃犯马士沙拉末一事中最关键的人物努尔艾尼,究竟有什么样的背景？ 国家发展部高级政务次长孟理齐博士昨天在内政部长兼律政部长尚穆根发表部长声明,交代马士沙拉末在淡滨尼的兄长家度过两晚的经过后,对唆使父母收留逃犯的努尔艾尼为何这么做感到不解,而要求部长透露更多关于她的资料。 据尚穆根透露,努尔艾尼在窝藏马士沙拉末时还是一名实习教师,今年被捕时已在某所学校担任马来文教师。 "然而,没有迹象显示她或她的父母都赞同马士沙拉末的激进想法。他们决定帮助马士沙拉末时,没有正确分辨对错。" 除了表现得最为震惊和愤怒的孟理齐,丰加集选区议员杨康海、裕廊集选区议员哈莉玛、马林百列集选区议员王世丰医生、丰加集选区议员扎吉哈、三巴旺集选区议员李玉云等九名议员,也在部长同意回答提问后提出各方面的询问。 李玉云指出既然协助马士沙拉末的竟然是他的直系亲属,会使人们对警方的搜查能力留下不良印象。扎吉哈则担心由于逃犯曾披戴头巾,人们将来会对这类装扮变得敏感,甚至影响戴头巾者的受雇机会。 尚穆根对此一一作出答复时强调,政府对于少数人的行径不足以代表整个社群的立场没变,而且马来族社群多年来已证明他们整体上并不赞同以宗教名义施行暴力的行为。因此,无论是政府还是民间都没有理由以这次事件为借口去回避这个族群,或乖离应透过任人唯贤的宗旨去雇用工人的政策。 他也驳斥了议员对警方查案能力不足的质疑,指出可能同马士沙拉末接触的人有上百名,对每个人进行长期监视并不实际,而且当查案人员就当时掌握的情报同努尔艾尼一家面谈时,并没特别的理由去怀疑对方的口供。 他说,一个人是否被安全机构挑选进行保安检查,与她是否披戴头巾(tudung)无关。那完全取决于安全方面的评估。要我不管实际情况如何,回答戴头巾者是否会因此事件而受到严格检查是很难的。如果情报评估显示有这个必要,那就会进行检查。如果没有检查的理由,那就不会去检查。至于更广的问题,政府多年来一贯的立场都是少数人的行为并不代表马来族回教徒作为一个整体社群的行为。我们的立场依然没有改变。 身为政府国会内政及律政委员会主席的杨康海受访时也认为,虽然民众继续对这起事件怀有疑问是很自然的,但重要的是人们要记住我国的安全机构在马来西亚同行的协助下,已重新捕获马士沙拉末这一实情。 他说:"尽管本区域仍存在许多威胁,我们的安全机构至今还是维持了国家的安全。我希望新加坡人继续对我们的安全机构保持信心。如果他们过去有任何失误,一定会从中汲取教训。" (With thanks to SPH - Lianhe Zaobao.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Lianhe Zaobao - 多名议员质疑:窝藏马士沙拉末的罪犯 法庭判刑是否太轻？ 23 November 2010 内政部长兼律政部长尚穆根说,刑罚是经由法庭审理裁决的,考虑到阿斯蒙一家并非预谋涉案,而是因为亲情在作怪影响了他们的行为判断,法庭最终是根据他们的涉案程度分别给予应有的处分。 明知他是危险的全国通缉犯,却还是给予协助和窝藏,阿斯蒙一家所受的刑罚是否太轻了？ 针对议员的这一提问,内政部长兼律政部长尚穆根说,刑罚是经由法庭审理裁决的,考虑到阿斯蒙一家并非预谋涉案,而是因为亲情在作怪影响了他们的行为判断,法庭最终是根据他们的涉案程度分别给予应有的处分。 国家发展部高级政务次长孟理奇博士昨天在国会里针对尚穆根透露马士沙拉末逃亡的最新调查详情,表达了他对阿斯蒙一家的窝藏行为的震惊和失望。
涉案最重者 他说,这家人在全国大规模搜捕马士沙拉末的期间,竟然提供协助,这是挺令人震惊的。而考虑到马士沙拉末是全国通缉犯,这家人所犯下的罪行是如此严重,但所受的刑罚却是18个月或12个月的监禁,似乎太轻了。 尚穆根说,这案件是经由法庭在控辩双方提交结案呈词后审理裁决,每人的刑罚反映的是个别在窝藏马士沙拉末的行为上所涉及的程度。 他进一步说明,马士沙拉末的侄女努尔艾尼显然是涉案最重者,所以刑期也最长,共18个月;其他两人——哥哥和嫂嫂则因为提供较少的援助,刑期也较短。 此外,法庭也考虑到他们并非预谋涉案,嫂嫂艾莎起初不愿让对方入屋,但被女儿说服,而哥哥阿斯蒙在发现马士沙拉末时也并不高兴,虽然后来并没有举报。不过,这仍然是严重的罪行,所以三人都被判坐牢。 至于侄子马哈迪尔虽然知情不报,但没有提供任何协助,马士沙拉末窝藏在他们家期间,他也经常不在家,可算是全家人中涉案最轻的,所以被严厉警告了事。 (With thanks to SPH - Lianhe Zaobao.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Tamil Murasu - Jail for three relatives who harboured fugitive Mas Selamat 23 November 2010 Click on the link below to view the Tamil Murasu article (With thanks to SPH - Tamil Murasu) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH.
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