Singapore holds 18-year-old IS supporter planning army camp attack, gravesite

The 18-year-old will now undergo rehabilitation

Singapore authorities have detained an 18-year-old radicalised Islamic State supporter, the ninth such case in the city-state, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said on Wednesday, describing it as a "concerning" trend.

Muhammad Irfan Danyal Mohamad Nor, who was detained last month, had considered plans to attack targets such as an army camp and a gravesite at a mosque, Channel News Asia reported.

Singapore has dealt with nine radicalised youths under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since 2015.

Nor will now undergo rehabilitation, as did the other radicalised youths.

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 and psychological support.

Shanmugam said that the ISD has worked with Nor's school to arrange for him to continue his education and sit for his exams while in detention.

Of the nine youths the ISA have dealt with, six were detained, and three were given restriction orders, under which they cannot travel out of Singapore, and change addresses or jobs, without approval.

They can also not access the internet or social media, issue public statements, address public meetings, or print, distribute, or contribute to any publication without approval.

Speaking to reporters, Shanmugam expressed concern over this trend of young people becoming self-radicalised.

"Since 2015 - the last seven years plus - we have dealt with nine young people, aged 20 and below, under the ISA. So yes, it is a trend that is concerning," the report quoted the minister as saying.

“The three recent cases that we’ve picked up were all young boys, radicalised online," he said.

In March 2021, a 20-year-old was detained under ISA after he made detailed plans and preparations to conduct knife attacks against Jews at the Maghain Aboth Synagogue.

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

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

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

"I think most people in Singapore understand whatever your religion, you don't go towards a path of violence," he said.

"Religion teaches peace. You can live in harmony. Both social harmony, as well as religious harmony, are possible, and Singapore is a daily reminder of the benefits of that and the possibilities of that," he added.

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

Another four have been reintegrated into society and are no longer under any internal security order.

"They are all either employed or carrying on with further studies," Shanmugam said. "Two of them went to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) after they were released, and they did well."

"We saved them from destroying their lives and other lives and, at the same time, making something of their lives," the report quoted Shanmugam as saying.

Currently, 16 people remain detained under the ISA.