It’s always unpleasant news to hear about Singaporeans who’ve gained a warped sense of belief after getting self-radicalized through ISIS propaganda, but it was even more terrible to hear that a mother who works in the line of infant care could get brainwashed.
Syaikhah Izzah Zahrah Al Ansari, 22, became the first woman to be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and it’s sad to know that things might have gone a lot better for her if her family had alerted the authorities years ago, when she first showed signs of being radicalized. Now, her father regrets not reporting his daughter earlier.
Speaking to Berita Harian, Syaikh Abdu Manaf Al Ansari explained why they didn’t do so. The woman’s parents — both Quranic teachers — had first confronted their daughter about her support for ISIS in late 2014, when she started dressing in black and wearing the niqab, as well as using the terrorist group’s flag as her WhatsApp display picture.
The woman had also actively posted and shared pro-ISIS materials online, continuing to post their content even when several of her social media accounts were taken down. She was looking to settle down with an ISIS fighter, and was prepared to move to Syria with her child to undergo military training — even engage in armed combat for the terrorist group if need be.
“I told her all well-known Islamic scholars reject ISIS, I asked, is it halal in Islam to kill innocent people, children and women?”, Manaf told Berita Harian.
“I told her to show me evidence from the Quran and sunnah (prophetic teachings) that it is halal. She just kept silent.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also noted how Izzah’s distorted beliefs did not align with her family’s. “The family did not support Izzah’s actions, nor did they share the same radical ideas,” they wrote in a press release.
“She was smart at hiding herself”
The reason why Manaf and his wife did not alert the authorities was because they believed that Izzah changed her mind — she stopped wearing the niqab and even started listening to music and watching films again.
Turns out, it was all a ruse. After she was arrested, Manaf found documents in her room that held information about moving to Syria. In a fit of disgust and wanting to protect his daughter, the father threw the materials away.
His deed however raised the ire of the MHA. The authorities are currently looking into taking action against him for destroying “important evidence” relating to Izzah’s plans to join ISIS.
“To other parents, this comes from the bottom of my heart. If you see any sudden changes, et cetera, contact the authorities,” he said, expressing remorse over his actions.
Things might have been different if Manaf had alerted the authorities about his daughter earlier. “If the individual is found to be in the nascent stages of radicalization, he/she may be referred for counselling and other mitigating measures without the need for arrest,” said the MHA.
“Early reporting enables the individual, who is at risk of becoming radicalized, to be given proper guidance and counselling.”
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