Indonesian Gets 2 Years’ Jail Over Terror-linked Material

New Straits Times

20 April 2016

The High Court yesterday sentenced an Indonesian man to two years’ jail for having terrorist-linked material on his phone.

Ihsan, 32, a mechanic, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of possessing 165 images and 211 videos on the Islamic State (IS), al-Qaeda and east Indonesia’s Mujahidin groups on his phone at his home in T.BBP 76/1, Kampung Parit Abd Rahman, Benu, in Pontian, Johor, at noon on Dec 1 last year.

Judicial commissioner Datuk Nordin Hassan, in sentencing Ihsan, said Malaysia was a safe and peaceful country and if such material fell into the hands of gullible youngsters here, the country would be in a chaotic state.

“The very country you came to earn a living in will become chaotic if bombs go off here. People won’t be able to earn a living, too,” said Nordin. “Courts have to give deterrent sentences to ensure such things do not happen in Malaysia.”

Prof Dr Rohan Gunaratna, an international terrorism expert who analysed the images and videos, said Ihsan was a follower of the terrorists’ online activities.

Rohan also said the images and videos found on Ihsan’s phone had contained terror elements.

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