Self-radicalised teen planned to attack during school holidays
A 17-year-old boy was arrested in August 2024 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for investigation and given a two-year Order of
Detention in September.
The Internal Security Department's investigation found that the Singapore student was a staunch supporter of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis), and had planned to conduct a terrorist attack in Singapore.
"He pledged allegiance to Isis in May," Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said to the media at the site of the planned attack – the open space between Blocks 826 and 828 of Tampines Street 81.
"He was planning to travel to Syria to fight with Isis but faced difficulties in getting there, so he decided to conduct the attack in Singapore.
"This boy had made extensive plans and preparations, and he was determined to carry out his attack in Singapore."
In August 2023, the boy was exposed to the teachings of foreign radical preachers while searching for religious knowledge online. He started to subscribe to segregationist religious beliefs.
His exposure to the pro-Isis material online led him down the path of radicalisation.
He joined various online groups that provided updates on Isis activities, and bought into Isis' rhetoric of promoting the use of armed violence to establish an Islamic caliphate.
By January this year, he had become a staunch Isis supporter and aspired to die as a martyr while fighting for the group.
The teen in May took a pledge of allegiance to Isis in the confines of his room and subsequently regarded himself as an Isis member who was willing to carry out any instructions from the group, including mounting attacks.
He planned to execute his attack on non-Muslim males during the school holidays in September and took concrete steps to prepare himself.
He planned to use a kitchen knife or a pair of scissors he had at home as he felt he could wield them effectively and inflict maximum damage on his targets, planning to stab them in the neck.
The teen was determined to be killed by the police or passers-by during his attack, as it would fulfil his aspiration to become a martyr.
ISD’s investigation found that the teen 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. But his parents
had noticed that he was watching videos of foreign preachers and advised him against it.
He disregarded their advice and took steps to conceal his radical activities, such as using codewords when discussing his radical beliefs online and virtual private networks when surfing radical websites.
Anyone who knows or suspects a person has been radicalised can call the ISD hotline on 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD).
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