Four Bangladeshi men were sentenced today to between 24 and 60 months in prison for financing terrorism in Singapore, local press reported.

The four men were among eight migrant workers detained under the Internal Security Act between late March and early April this year, The Straits Times reported.

Six of the men became the first to be charged under Singaporean laws criminalising the financing of terrorism, the report said.

Rahman Mizanur, 31, who was identified as the ringleader, was sentenced to 60 months in prison; Miah Rubel, 26, and Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 31, were both sentenced to 30 months; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29, received 24 months.

Those sentenced today pleaded guilty in March. Two others, Zzaman Daulat, 34 and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29, have denied the charges and are awaiting trial, the report said.

The convicted men called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which they say aims to overthrow the Bangladeshi government and establish a caliphate under the Islamic State, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Six of the men were found to have contributed sums of S$60 to S$500 (US$44 to US$379) to the cause, The Straits Times report said.

- dpa