A 17-year-old self-radicalised Singaporean was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) mere weeks before his plan to carry out a terror attack in the Housing Board heartlands. The student, described in a Friday press release by the Internal Security Department (ISD) as a “staunch” Islamic State supporter, wanted to use either a kitchen knife or a pair of scissors from his home as his weapon.
Since 2020, ISD has detained five self-radicalised youths who wanted to carry out attacks in Singapore using such easily accessible weapons. Such attacks require little time and preparation to execute, said the department.
In this case, the youth was determined to follow through with his plan and was less than a month away from executing it at the time of his arrest in August, it added. He had planned to attack non-Muslim males near Tampines West Community Centre, during the school holidays in September. Following his arrest, the teenager was issued a two-year detention order in September as well.
The youth chose the Tampines location as it had high footfall and was within walking distance from his home, ISD said. He also took “concrete steps” to prepare himself for the attack, the agency added. A knife or scissors was his weapon of choice because he felt he could wield them effectively and inflict “maximum damage” on his targets.
“To ensure that he could kill or grievously wound his targets, he planned to stab them in the neck and practised stabbing motions using different grips with the scissors,” ISD said. In June, he conducted a walk-through of the route he would take from his house to execute the attack. ISD added that the youth was determined to be killed by the police or passers-by during his attack, as this would fulfil his aspiration to become a martyr.
“He felt a sense of pride knowing that his planned attack, if successfully executed, would be the first terrorist attack in Singapore in recent decades.” He crafted a declaration of armed jihad or struggle against non-Muslims, which he planned to release before his attack in the hope of inspiring other Muslims to engage in armed violence, ISD said. ISD investigations found that the youth was unsuccessful in radicalising his followers or contacts, and that he acted alone.
His family and friends were unaware of his plans to conduct an attack in Singapore or engage in armed violence in Syria, the agency said. However, his parents had noticed him watching videos of foreign preachers and advised him against it, saying the material may not be suitable for Singapore’s context. But the student paid no heed.
Instead, he took steps to conceal his activities, such as using code words when discussing his radical beliefs online and virtual private networks when surfing radical websites, ISD said. The agency noted that this latest case underscores the trend of youth radicalisation seen in recent years. And such radicalisation – which usually takes place online – can occur within a short span of a few months.
ISD also pointed to the growing threat of lone-actor attacks against soft targets, using simple and easily accessible weapons, as Islamic State and other terrorist groups call on their followers to mount attacks wherever they are located.
The case of this self-radicalised youth highlights the importance of vigilance and the need for continued efforts to counter radicalisation among young individuals. It serves as a reminder that radicalisation can happen quickly and go unnoticed by those closest to the individual. Initiatives aimed at promoting community resilience, early intervention, and education on the dangers of extremist ideologies are crucial in preventing such incidents in the future. By staying informed and engaged, communities can work together to identify and address signs of radicalisation before they escalate into violent actions.