A Bangladeshi expatriate has been handed a ten-year prison term by the Malaysian High Court after admitting to charges of supporting the Daesh terrorist organisation via Facebook.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid delivered the sentence against Mohammad Didarul Alam, a 29-year-old restaurant employee, ordering the imprisonment to commence from his arrest date of 21 July.
“The accused is also ordered to be deported to his home country upon completing his prison sentence,” stated Judge Azhar during the court proceedings.
Didarul faced charges for providing support to Daesh by operating a Facebook account under the pseudonym Al Mubin Islam. The offence was recorded at the Special Branch’s E8M (Counter-Terrorism) Division in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, at 8am on 27 May, 2024.
The prosecution was brought under Section 130J(1)(a) of Malaysia’s Penal Code, an offence that permits a maximum penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine, and the forfeiture of any property involved in the crime.
Case details revealed that police investigations identified the accused’s Facebook activity involved promoting the terrorist group by uploading and distributing photographs, videos, and associated material.
This was corroborated by an analysis report from a Bengali language translator, which confirmed the accused had used his account to spread propaganda videos, official statements, and imagery connected to the proscribed organisation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Aftal Mariz Mahamed pressed the court for a stern sentence to act as a deterrent, both to the accused and to other foreigners who might engage in terrorism-related acts.
“The accused has no prior criminal record, but this is a serious offence that poses a threat to national security,” the prosecutor asserted.
Didarul, who presented his own defence, appealed for mercy, explaining his familial obligations.
“I came to Malaysia to work, and I apologise for my mistake,” he told the court in Bengali, through an interpreter, citing his need to support his family and parents in Bangladesh.
