Jailed for hiding JI leader

[Vega.]

Nov 22, 2010

Escape of Mas Selamat

Jailed for hiding JI leader

By Jeremy Au Yong

Mas Selamat: A timeline

DECEMBER 2001

Mas Selamat Kastari - leader of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network's Singapore cell - flees Singapore after 13 members are nabbed in government crackdown. Makes way to Medan, then Bali in Indonesia, via Malaysia and Thailand. Arrests thwart plans to attack Yishun MRT station and United States naval vessels in Singapore.

APRIL 2002
Then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong reveals Mas Selamat's involvement in plans to crash US, British or Singapore aircraft into Changi Airport. The fugitive remains on the run in Sumatra, Riau, Kundur island.

FEB 2, 2003
Arrested by Indonesian police in Tanjung Pinang, Bintan.

JULY 2003
Sentenced to 18 months' jail in Pekanbaru for immigration violations and falsifying documents to enter Indonesia. Tries to escape but breaks left leg and develops permanent limp.

AUGUST 2004
Slapped with additional 16-month sentence for same offence. Serves it in Pasuruan, East Java. Is released early, in August 2005.

JANUARY 2006
Arrested in Malang, again for carrying false identification.

FEBRUARY 2006
Deported to Singapore, detained under Internal Security Act.

FEB 27, 2008
Escapes from Whitley Road Detention Centre, sparking nationwide manhunt. The Malaysian authorities reveal later that after his escape, he swam across Johor Strait. Hides out in Kampung Tawakal in Skudai. Malaysia says he hatched plans to bomb targets in Singapore and Malaysia after fleeing.

APRIL 1, 2009
Malaysian police raid house in Kampung Tawakal and capture him. The news is not made public (shortly after capture, Malaysia informs Singapore but asks that the matter be kept quiet).

APRIL 11, 2009
At an Asean summit in Pattaya that is eventually aborted, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak informs PM Lee Hsien Loong about capture. Mr Lee replies he has been informed and thanks Mr Najib for Malaysia's generous support and help.

MAY 8, 2009
The Straits Times breaks news of Mas Selamat's arrest in Malaysia.

MAY 22, 2009
Visiting PM Najib said Malaysia will give Singapore access to Mas Selamat and share information gathered.

OCT 19, 2009
Parliament informed that Singapore officials were given access to him, but that Mas Selamat was uncooperative.

SEPT 24, 2010
Mas Selamat is handed over to Singapore.

-- PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

THREE relatives of Mas Selamat Kastari have been jailed for harbouring the Jemaah Islamiah leader after he had escaped from Whitley Road Detention Centre on Feb 27, in 2008. Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam revealed in Parliament on Monday that Mas Selamat had stayed overnight at the Tampines home of Asmom, the fugitive's brother.

While there, Asmom, his wife Aisah and daughter Nur Aini helped Mas Selamat in various ways, including giving him money, providing him food and helping him disguise himself as a woman to evade detection. The three were jailed for 12 months, three months and 18 months respectively for harbouring a prisoner of State, an offence under Section 130 of the Penal Code.

'Singaporeans will be understandably disappointed that Asmom and his family had helped Mas Selamat in his escape,' said Mr Shanmugam. 'Their actions are not a reflection on the wider Malay-Muslim community who had disapproved of Mas Selamat's deeds, and participated in the manhunt for him 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.

'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.' Mas Selamat was caught in Johor on April 1, 2009 and held in a Malaysian prison until he was handed over to Singapore on Sept 24, 2010. Investigations into what Mas Selamat did after he escaped from Whitley Road and how he left Singapore are still ongoing.

 

[Vega.]

Disguised as a woman


Nov 22, 2010

ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT

Disguised as a woman

-- ST PHOTO

AFTER staying overnight at his brother's flat in Tampines on Feb 29, 2008 - two days after he bolted from the Whitley Road Detention Centre - Mas Selamat Kastari disguised himself as a woman wearing a tudung to evade detection and recapture. His niece Nur Aini bte Asmom helped apply make-up on the leader of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah, and secured the tudung for him, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in Parliament on Monday.

She also gave him several items, which included a set of clothes, a baseball cap, water, a snack, an illumination stick, air-tight resealable plastic bags to pack the items, and a backpack to store all the items. She also gave him a map of Singapore - which Mas Selamat had asked for - that showed part of Malaysia.

Mas Selamat's brother, Asmom, who jointly owned the flat with his wife Aisah, only found out the escaped detainee was in his flat when he returned home from work in the early hours of March 1. 'He knew it was wrong to harbour Mas Selamat, but eventually decided to allow Mas Selamat to stay in his flat,' said Mr Shanmugam.

Asmom also gave Mas Selamat S$100 and RM100 to facilitate his escape from Singapore to Malaysia, as well as some traditional medicine before he left the flat. Mas Selamat was caught in Johor on April 1, 2009 and held in a Malaysian prison until he was handed over to Singapore on Sept 24, 2010.

 

[Vega.]

Hid in brother's flat


Nov 22, 2010

ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT

Hid in brother's flat

-- ST PHOTO

MAS Selamat Kastari, who managed to elude the massive island-wide manhunt for two days after his escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, sought shelter at his brother Asmom's home in Tampines for a night on Feb 29, 2008, and headed across the Causeway.

For two days after his Feb 27 jailbreak, he hid at various public places, including forested areas, without being caught, before making his way to his brother's flat to seek shelter and help from his grown-up niece, Nur Aini bte Asmom, who he thought was living alone. He had believed that his brother and his wife were living in their house in Johor while Asmom's son, Mahadir, was overseas.

'Mas Selamat believed that 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,' said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who gave an update on the findings into Mas Selamat's escape.

Asmom, his wife Aisah and daughter Nur Aini were arrested and charged on Nov 10, 2010 for their roles in knowingly harbouring Mas Selamat, a prisoner of state. The trio pleaded guilty to the charges and were jailed 12 months, three months and 18 months respectively on Nov 18.

Asmom's son Mahadir, who had a lesser role in the matter, was given a stern warning in lieu of prosecution. Mas Selamat, leader of the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist group in Singapore, was caught in Johor on April 1, 2009, and held in a Malaysian prison until he was handed over to Singapore on Sept 24, 2010.

 

[Vega.]

Family withheld info


Nov 22, 2010

ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT

Family withheld info

Harbouring state prisoner a 'grave offence'

THE Government had stated in Parliament on 28 Feb, 2008, that anyone who rendered assistance to Mas Selamat would be committing a 'grave offence'. Under the Penal Code, a person who knowingly 'harbours or conceals any such prisoner (of State) who has escaped from lawful custody, or offers or attempts to offer any resistance to the recapture of such a prisoner, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years, and shall also be liable for a fine' (under Section 130).

-- BH

MAS Selamat Kastari's brother and his family members, who harboured the terrorist after his escape from detention on Feb 27, 2008, deliberately withheld the information for 18 months until they were confronted by the authorities with the facts in October 2010.

Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament on Monday that the Jemaah Islamiah militant's brother Asmom, his wife Aisah and daughter Nur Aini 'had knowingly harboured Mas Selamat, an escaped prisoner of the State, who they knew was the subject of a massive manhunt'. 'Even after Mas Selamat left their flat on the evening of March 1, 2008, they did not reveal information concerning Mas Selamat to the authorities.

On the contrary, they deliberately withheld the information when they were interviewed by the authorities on March 3, 2008. It was only in October 2010, after being confronted with the facts, that Asmom, Aisah, Nur Aini and Mahadir admitted to what had happened.' The minister revealed this when giving an update to the House on Mas Selamat's escape from Whitley Road detention centre. Mr Shanmugam said the independent accounts of Mas Selamat, Asmom, Aisah, Nur Aini and son Mahadir of what took place in Asmom's flat and the help given to Mas Selamat, were consistent.

'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,' added Mr Shanmugam. He said Mas Selamat is a hardened and dangerous terrorist, who has been involved in various plots by the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) to mount terrorist attacks in Singapore since the 1990s. 'He is operationally trained and has undergone training not once but twice in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.

'After the Singapore authorities disrupted the Singapore JI network in December 2001 and averted the terrorist plot to conduct simultaneous truck bomb attacks in Singapore, Mas Selamat plotted to mount retaliatory attacks against Singapore. 'Harbouring Mas Selamat and assisting him to escape from Singapore placed Singapore's and Singaporeans' security in serious jeopardy as Mas Selamat would thereby be able to resume his terrorist activities of attacking Singapore.'

 

[wahlaneh]

wahlaneh...
满门抄斩灭九族！

 

[GoldenDragon]

Shanmugam should release the blk and unit number of flat in Tampines. I want to buy 4D!

 

[Vega.]

Niece faces the sack


Nov 24, 2010

ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT
Niece faces the sack

Nur Aini Asmom will now face the consequences for harbouring her uncle Mas Selamat. -- PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

THE Education Ministry is initiating disciplinary action against Nur Aini Asmom, the Malay language teacher who harboured her uncle Mas Selamat Kastari after his escape from custody two years ago. It is likely to end up dismissing her from service.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[Vega.]

MOE likely to fire Mas Selamat's niece


MOE likely to fire Mas Selamat's niece
Posted: 23 November 2010 1801 hrs
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SINGAPORE: The niece of terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari, who is in jail for her role in his escape, will be facing disciplinary proceedings by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

MOE said in a statement that it will initiate the proceedings against Nur Aini Asmom, who is a Malay language teacher, with a view to dismiss her from service.

MOE said it takes "disciplinary action, including dismissal" against teachers who have been charged and convicted in court for a criminal offence.

It was revealed on Monday that Nur Aini was sentenced to 18 months' jail for harbouring a prisoner of the State.

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam revealed in Parliament that Nur Aini helped Mas Selamat following his escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in late February 2008.

It was Nur Aini who persuaded her mother Aisah to allow Mas Selamat into their flat in Tampines.

Nur Aini also helped Mas Selamat to destroy material evidence -- such as his Whitley Road Detention Centre-issued attire.

The next day Mas Selamat left the flat, but not before Nur Aini applied make-up on him and secured a tudung or headscarf over his head to disguise him as a woman.

She also gave him supplies, and a map of Singapore.

Nur Aini's mother and father were also jailed for their roles in harbouring Mas Selamat.

- CNA/ir