Singapore: Singapore disclosed Wednesday it had arrested 27 Bangladeshi construction workers late last year for supporting "the armed jihad ideology of terrorist groups" and had deported 26 of them.
The arrests were carried out under the tough Internal Security Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.
"They supported the armed jihad ideology of terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria," the statement said.
It said the Bangladeshis, arrested between November 16 and December 1 last year, worked in construction in Singapore, where labourers live in often cramped dormitories.
"The group members took measures to avoid detection by the authorities. They shared jihadi-related material discreetly among themselves, and held weekly meetings and gatherings where they discussed armed jihad and conflicts that involved Muslims," the ministry said.
The group was also actively recruiting members into its ranks, it added.
The ministry said that "while several members of the group had considered carrying out armed violence overseas, they were not planning any terrorist attacks in Singapore".
It said 26 had been deported. The remaining Bangladeshi is serving a jail sentence for attempting to flee Singapore after learning about the arrests of the other group members.
He will be repatriated to Bangladesh after he completes his sentence.
