Teen jailed five years for supporting Abu Sayyaf

KOTA KINABALU: He had a promising future ahead of him, but the 18-year-old Filipino has probably blown it for supporting Abu Sayyaf.

The teenager, who backed the militant group in Facebook postings, was jailed five years by the High Court here yesterday.

He remained calm as Justice Ravinthran Paramaguru gave his ruling when the case came up for sentencing after the Welfare Department provided a report.

In November last year, the teenager admitted to giving support to the militant group between March 1 and 6 through his Facebook account using the name Abu Tahlaba Al-basilanie.

The teenager was convicted under Section 130J(1)(a) of the Penal Code which provides for life imprisonment or jail of up to 30 years, or fine and forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of the offence.

The judge said he decided on the sentence after considering all factors, adding that what the teenager did was a serious offence under Malaysian law.

He said although the defence argued that the teenager may not have known that what he had done was an offence, ignorance of the law was not an excuse.

Justice Ravinthran said although the extent of support was only an expression through the posting of pictures and video clips, making a baiah (solemn oath) was a formal statement of support.

He did not think it would be fit to send the boy to the Henry Gurney reform school for juvenile offenders as this was a serious offence.

The judge said the boy should consider himself lucky and “reflect on what he has done while in prison”.