70 foreigners probed for radicalism

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Dian Yulia Novi, who allegedly planned to attack Jakarta's presidential palace, said she was first exposed to radical Islam through Facebook while working as a maid overseas.

PHOTO: TVONE

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revealed that five maids were among 70 foreigners who were investigated for suspected radicalism in the past two years.
This follows the Dec 10 arrest in Indonesia of Dian Yulia Novi, who allegedly planned to attack Jakarta's presidential palace. The 27-year-old Indonesian had said she was first exposed to radical Islam through Facebook while working as a maid overseas.
But she had shown no signs of being radicalised when in Singapore, between 2008 and 2009, said an MHA spokesman.
"Our security agencies are in contact with their counterparts regarding her case."
MHA added in its statement that the five other maids who were investigated previously had been radicalised, but "did not pose an imminent security threat" at the time.
Most of the foreigners who were investigated had been radicalised through exposure to radical propaganda on social media.
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