Exclusivist Teachings could Prime Listeners to ISIS Propaganda

The Straits Times

20 August 2016

A Batam radio station’s line-up of preachers with extreme views appears to have made some long- time followers more receptive to the terror group’s radical ideology.

Two such listeners – Singaporeans Rosli Hamzah, 50, and Mohamed Omar Mahadi, 33 – were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) this month for planning to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Their cases highlight the danger of exclusivist teachings like those spread by the station, Radio HangFM, in priming individuals for ISIS propaganda, community leaders and experts interviewed said.

While these teachings may not directly encourage violence, they ask believers to stay apart from non-Muslims and Muslims who don’t share their views, and this is a slippery slope, they added.

Radio HangFM has been criticised by the mainstream Muslim community in Batam for divisive leanings that, among other things, say Muslims should isolate themselves to maintain their purity.

… Senior analyst Jasminder Singh of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research said it is not too far a stretch that listeners of such stations go on to make contact with like-minded individuals and travel to neighbouring countries, where they may be exposed to more extreme ideology.

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