Nurjaman, better known as Hambali, is being tried on terrorism charges by the military court in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The prosecution argued that he was working with the Al Qaeda movement while he was living in Malaysia; he had full control of the group’s funds and used its operatives in the plan.

Although he was closely linked with the Jemaah Islamiyah rebel group, he took orders from Al Qaeda leaders like Osama bin Laden to carry out attacks against US targets in Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, the prosecution said.

Chief prosecutor Lt Col Christopher J Goewert said the Singapore plot included killing US servicemen as they entered the MRT station, as well as attacks on the American embassy and US naval ships in the republic.

The court heard that the Singapore plots were vetoed by Al Qaeda leaders who thought they were not feasible and Nurjaman subsequently took the advice of Osama to find “softer targets” if they could not hit US targets in the republic.

“He took Osama’s directive and hit softer targets such as small bars, cafes, and discos which were defenceless and weak,” Goewert said, according to transcripts of the hearing.

The court was also told that Nurjaman carried out these operations while staying in Malaysia, adding that he had a wife here.

He was alleged to have recruited two Malaysians – Nazir Lep and Farik Amin – to plan his attacks. The two men have since pleaded guilty to conspiring and were sentenced to 23 year’s jail each. As per a pre-trial agreement, they can be released after five years and possibly repatriated to a third country.