Singapore dealt with 9 radicalised youths under ISA since 2015

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Singapore dealt with 9 radicalised youths under ISA since 2015

SINGAPORE: Singapore has dealt with nine radicalised youths under the Internal Security Act ISA since 2015, a trend Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam described as being concerned with. The figures include the most recent case, an 18-year-old Islamic State supporter who was detained in December last year after he considered plans to attack targets such as a Singapore army camp and a gravesite at a mosque.

Six of the nine youths were detained. Three people were given restriction orders, under which they can not travel out of Singapore and change addresses or jobs without approval.

They can't get access to the Internet or social media, issue public statements, address public meetings or print, distribute or contribute to any publication without approval.

On Wednesday, Mr Shanmugam spoke to reporters on Wednesday, expressed concern about the trend of young people becoming self-radicalised.

The last seven years we have dealt with nine young people, aged 20 and below, under the ISA. He said that it is a trend that is concerning.

Three recent cases we have picked up were all young boys radicalised online. In March 2021 a 20-year-old was detained under the ISA after he made detailed plans and preparations to conduct knife attacks against Jews at Maghain Aboth Synagogue.

In another case, a 16-year-old secondary student was arrested in December 2020. He planned to attack Muslims at two mosques in Singapore using a machete.

We don't like the numbers - nine since 2015 - but it is very small compared to other countries, said Shanmugam.

He credited the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore for its strong and clear stance against violence, which contributed to the country's relatively low number of such detainees.

He said that most people in Singapore understand that whatever your religion, you don't go towards a path of violence.

In an update on the nine youths dealt with under ISA, Mr Shanmugam said that most of them have made good progress in their rehabilitation, noting that one was released from detention in January last year.

When he was in jail, he was given tutors, sat for his GCE N-Level exams, said the minister. He had a good job of scoring distinctions in some subjects. After he was released he was able to go to a school of his choice, and he continues to make good progress in his rehabilitation. Another four have been reintegrated into society and are no longer under any kind of internal security order.

They are all employed or carrying on with further studies, Mr Shanmugam said. After they were released, two of them went to the Institute of Technical Education ITE and did well. One won an award- top performer in his course and both went on to polytechnic and one is now working as an engineer. Under the rehabilitation approach, the Internal Security Department ISD works with partners to help radicalised youth move away from violence and make something of their lives through means such as religious counselling and social psychological support.

"We saved them from destroying their lives and other lives, and at the same time make something of their lives," he said.

The 18-year-old who was detained in December, Muhammad Irfan Danyal Mohamad Nor, will undergo rehabilitation.

Shanmugam said that ISD has worked with his school to arrange for him to continue with his education and sit for his exams while he is in jail.