SINGAPORE – On National Day 2024,
a foreigner with alleged terror links
preached to migrant workers at an event within a dormitory and expressed ill-will towards those who did not share his political and religious ideals.
The dormitory operator’s managing director, Abdus Sattar, was fined $7,000 on Oct 28, after pleading guilty to one count each of organising a public assembly without a permit and providing public entertainment without a licence.
SBM Electrical & Automation, operator of the dormitory called Lantana Lodge in Tech Park Crescent near Tuas South Avenue 4, was fined $20,000. It was convicted under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act after it failed to maintain proper records of people entering and leaving the property.
Without revealing details, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheldon Lim said Sattar, a 51-year-old Singaporean, was acquainted with the foreigner, Bangladeshi Amir Hamza, who had been reported to be involved with a pro-Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation operating in his home country.
The prosecutor told the court the Bangladeshi government had arrested Amir in 2021 over his purported terror links, terrorism-related activities and for inciting militancy.
In July 2024, Sattar sent a WhatsApp message to Amir, who was in Bangladesh, inviting him to come to Singapore to give a sermon and conduct a prayer session at a Singapore National Day celebration at Lantana Lodge.
Amir agreed and Sattar proceeded to make arrangements for him and another Bangladeshi, identified as Ullah Mohammed Neamat, to travel to Singapore.
A few days before the event, Sattar was handed a digital promotional poster from one of his employees for his approval.
The poster, which featured images of Amir and Ullah, stated that there would be a prayer session at Lantana Lodge on Aug 9, 2024. Amir would be speaking at the event and Ullah would be singing Islamic songs. It also said the event was open to all residents in Singapore, said DPP Lim.
Sattar sent the poster to two supervisors of Lantana Lodge and told the pair to disseminate it to the workers of SBM Electrical & Automation.
Amir and Ullah arrived in Singapore on Aug 9, 2024.
About 600 foreign workers were present at Lantana Lodge between 8pm and 10.30pm that day to listen to them at a large outdoor space within the compound of the lodge. They included residents of the lodge and foreign workers from other dormitories in the vicinity.
