Singapore – A 17-year-old Singaporean male has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for planning to attack five mosques in Singapore, with the aim of killing at least 100 Muslims. Inspired by the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, where 51 people were killed, the teenager had identified Masjid Maarof in Jurong West as his primary target, along with other mosques in Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road, and Beach Road.
The Internal Security Department (ISD) revealed the details of the thwarted plot on Tuesday, April 2nd, while also announcing a Restriction Order issued in February against a 15-year-old Singaporean girl who had expressed a desire to marry an ISIS fighter and establish a pro-ISIS family. This makes her the first female teenager and the second-youngest individual dealt with under the ISA.
The 17-year-old’s radicalization began in 2022 after he encountered Islamophobic and far-right extremist content online. Fueled by pre-existing racist views against Malays, he developed a deep hatred for Islam and Muslims. He actively shared extremist materials online to incite hatred and engaged in online discussions to criticize Islam.
Investigations revealed that the teenager was connected to Nick Lee, an 18-year-old Singaporean detained under the ISA in December 2024. The two had exchanged Islamophobic and far-right extremist content on social media but were self-radicalized independently, had never met, and were unaware of each other’s attack plans.
Like Lee, the 17-year-old identified as an “East Asian supremacist,” believing in the superiority of Han Chinese, Korean, and Japanese ethnicities over Malays and Indians.
His radicalization intensified in November 2023 after he watched the video of the Christchurch mosque shootings and researched the perpetrator, Brenton Tarrant. He reportedly felt satisfaction from witnessing the killings and viewed Tarrant as a hero. Consuming online manifestos by Tarrant and other far-right terrorists, such as Stephan Balliet and Payton Gendron, he became convinced of the “Great Replacement” theory – an ethno-nationalist conspiracy theory claiming that white European populations are being replaced by non-Europeans.
The teenager posted online advocating for individuals like Tarrant in Singapore to target Malays and Muslims to prevent the Chinese from being replaced as the dominant race. By early 2024, he aspired to emulate Tarrant by carrying out attacks on local mosques using an AK-47 assault rifle. He also harbored anti-Semitic sentiments and fantasized about killing Jews, although he had no concrete plans for such attacks.
The ISD disclosed that the youth made several unsuccessful attempts to acquire a firearm. He contacted an online individual in the US claiming to be a gun maker, who suggested 3D-printing gun parts and ammunition due to the difficulty of smuggling. He did not pursue this due to cost and technical limitations. He also attempted to purchase a Glock 19 pistol from a foreign contact for smuggling into Singapore, but the transaction failed. Additionally, he inquired about modifying a replica pistol into a functional weapon but did not proceed when the seller requested a deposit. The teenager also considered acquiring weapons and ammunition in neighboring Malaysia or Thailand and smuggling them into Singapore by land. To prepare for an attack, he watched online videos on firearm handling and planned to visit a shooting range in the United States.
In June 2024, he finalized his list of target mosques, focusing primarily on Masjid Maarof due to his familiarity with the Jurong West area. His intention was to inspire other like-minded individuals in Singapore to commit violent acts, and he planned to live-stream his attacks, mirroring Tarrant’s actions. He intended to commit suicide before the police could apprehend him. Upon his arrest, he admitted that he would have carried out the attacks if he had obtained a weapon.
While he kept his plans secret, his parents were aware of his anti-Muslim hatred and his excessive online activity. His father had even shared news reports of previous far-right extremism cases in an attempt to dissuade his son, but they did not contact the authorities.
The ISD emphasized that these two cases highlight the ongoing threat of youth radicalization in Singapore. Since 2015, 17 individuals aged 20 and below have been dealt with under the ISA for self-radicalization online, with nine aspiring to carry out attacks in Singapore. The ISD noted a concerning trend of radicalized individuals becoming younger, with the 15-year-old girl being a stark example. They also highlighted the increasing appeal of far-right extremism among young Singaporeans, with the 17-year-old being the fourth since December 2020 influenced by such ideologies, particularly by Brenton Tarrant and his manifesto.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam addressed the media at Masjid Maarof, one of the targeted mosques, stating that while such plots directly threaten the Muslim community, they are detrimental to all of Singapore. He expressed concern over the rising number of self-radicalized youth and cautioned that there are likely others with similar intentions. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any signs of radicalization.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the crucial role of family and friends in early detection and reporting to maintain community harmony. He noted that in both recent cases, the families did not report their concerns despite being aware of radicalization symptoms. He urged the public to contact the ISD hotline at 1800-2626-473 if they suspect someone has been radicalized.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the evolving terrorism landscape and the need for continued vigilance and community involvement in countering extremist ideologies in Singapore.
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