Eight Indonesians are under investigation by Indonesian anti-terrorism officials after they were barred from entering Singapore over possession of Islamic State (IS) images, the report said on Thursday.
The Indonesians, ranging between ages 16 to 37 years, were arrested on Wednesday by Singapore customs authorities.
They were arrested after the officials found the images in the cellphone of the group’s leader, who only identified himself by the initials REH.
The images were of an IS flag, IS ‘activity’ and a homemade shoe bomb, according to the reports.
The Indonesians were handed over to Malaysian police for detainment and questioning before being deported to Batam in Indonesia.
Indonesian counterterrorism department Densus 88 has a week to interrogate the group.
According to Lalu Iqbal, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry Citizen Protection Director, the group is from an Islamic boarding school in Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatra.
Sambudi Gusdian, Riau Islands Police Chief Inspector General said that “Singapore refused their entrance and put a ‘Not To Land’ stamp into their passports based on the mobile phone examination.” dpa/NAN