Singapore jails Indon maid for funding IS-linked group

AN INDONESIAN maid was jailed for two years in Singapore Thursday for giving money to an Islamic State-linked terror outfit blamed for a string of attacks in her home country.

The affluent city-state is home to over 250,000 maids from neighbouring Indonesia, and has seen a string of cases where foreign domestic helpers have allegedly been radicalised.

Anindia Afiyantari donated Sg$130 (US$94) last year to charities used as fronts by Indonesia-based Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), described by prosecutors as among “the most dangerous terrorist organisations” in Southeast Asia.

It has been blamed for attacks, including the stabbing of President Joko Widodo’s chief security minister Wiranto and deadly suicide bombings at several churches.

“The accused’s actions of plotting to finance terrorist acts... strike at the very heart of Singapore’s harmony,” prosecutors said, according to court documents.

The 33-year-old -who earned Sg$600 a month -- was introduced to radical religious teachings by other Indonesian domestic helpers in SinNebenzia,

gapore.

As well as donating to charities, she uploaded videos of bombings and killings by the Islamic State group on Facebook and created new accounts when her posts were blocked, prosecutors said.

The jihadists controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria until their defeat last year.

Two other Indonesian maids were jailed in Singapore last month -- one for 18 months and the other 45 months -- after pleading guilty to charges of financing terrorism.