Issuance of Order of Detention Under the Internal Security Act Against Singaporean Youth

This post shares key learning points following an ISD press release last Friday, 18 October 2024, on the issuance of Order of Detention against a self-radicalised Singaporean youth under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Issuance of Order of Detention against Self-Radicalised Singaporean Youth

A 17-year-old male Singaporean was issued with an Order of Detention under the ISA in Sep 2024. He was a staunch supporter of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and had planned to conduct a terrorist attack in Singapore.

2. The youth was exposed to the teachings of foreign radical preachers in Aug 2023 while searching for religious knowledge online. He started to subscribe to segregationist religious beliefs. The youth was subsequently radicalised when he was exposed to pro-ISIS materials online following HAMAS’s 7 Oct 2023 attacks.

3. By Jan 2024, the youth had become a staunch ISIS supporter. In May 2024, he pledged his allegiance to ISIS and was willing to carry out any instructions from the group.

4. The youth wanted to travel to Syria to join ISIS and had researched on the flight routes. However, due to the difficulties of getting there without arousing suspicions from his family, he settled on conducting an attack on non-Muslim males in Singapore during the school holidays in Sep 2024.

5. The youth made extensive plans and preparation for the attack. Inspired by ISIS’s propaganda which glorified suicide knife attacks, he decided to conduct an attack near Tampines West Community Club as it was crowded and was within walking distance from his home.

6. The youth actively shared radical materials with the followers of his social media accounts as he wanted to influence them into hating non-Muslims. Investigations showed that the youth acted alone and was unsuccessful in radicalising his followers or contacts. His family and friends were unaware of his plans to conduct an attack in Singapore or engage in armed violence in Syria. However, his parents had noticed that he was watching videos of foreign preachers and advised him against doing so. The youth disregarded their advice and took steps to conceal his radical activities online.

Key Learning Points

7. The case above shows that:

a. The spread of terrorist and extremist ideologies online, especially those capitalising on the Israel-HAMAS conflict to encourage violence, has fuelled the self-radicalisation threat in Singapore.

i. The public, especially youths, should stay vigilant and be discerning in the consumption of information on social media, to avoid falling prey to the influence of divisive, extremist, or violent material online.

b. Youth radicalisation, which usually takes place via online means, can occur within a span of only a few months or even a much shorter timeframe.

c. Time is of the essence when someone displays signs of radicalisation. Early reporting can help save lives by ensuring that the individual receive timely help, guidance, and counselling.

i. Family members and friends are best placed to notice changes in behaviour and alert the authorities if they suspect their loved ones have been radicalised.

ii. Visit the SGSecure website to download a resource kit on “Encouraging Early Reporting of Suspected Radicalised Behaviours” which provides useful information on the signs of radicalisation, the channels of reporting and the process after the information is submitted to the authorities.

iii. Watch the interview with Dr Mohamed Bin Ali, an expert in inter-religious relations and Co-Chairman and counsellor of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), on the topic of radicalisation and rehabilitation of radicalised persons on The Daily Ketchup podcast (link below).

d. Anyone who knows or suspects that a person is radicalised should promptly contact the ISD hotline 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD) or report via the SGSecure app.

9. The incident is a stark reminder of the ever-present terrorism threat to Singapore and the importance of staying prepared for a terror attack so that we are better able to bounce back and emerge stronger as one united people. A whole-of-society approach is crucial to safeguard our community.

10. We have included the links to the full press release on the case, Min/HA’s and MOS Sun’s Facebook posts. We have also appended the link to the CNA documentary titled “When Crisis Calls – Are We Truly Ready?”, which aired on 17 Oct and discussed the importance of preparedness in the face of potential security threats and the roles that Singaporeans can play in keeping our society resilient against terrorism.

11. We also welcome your feedback and observations of ground sentiments relating to the cases or more broadly the threat of terrorism and other issues that could affect our social cohesion. You can share your feedback and observations with our Crisis Preparedness for Religious Organisations (CPRO) Office through email (cpro@mccy.gov.sg).

12. Thank you.