SINGAPORE: A growing diversity of extremist ideologies can be observed in Singapore, against a backdrop of the terror threat remaining at a high level, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said on Tuesday (Jul 29).
This can be attributed to "a volatile global landscape arising from developments such as the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and continued traction of radical narratives", the department said in this year's Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report.
Evolving technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), was also highlighted by the ISD as a potential driving factor around the world, as well as in Singapore.
From July 2024 to last month, the agency dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act (ISA), comprising six males and two females between the ages of 15 and 56.
Four of them were triggered by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, while two others were influenced by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies. The remaining two were indoctrinated by far-right extremist ideologies.
This brings the total number of self-radicalised individuals here issued with ISA orders since 2015 to 60, comprising 48 Singaporeans and 12 foreigners.
ISD in its report also noted with concern the increasing variety of online platforms being used to disseminate extremist materials, especially among youths.
These include social media and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, X, Reddit and Instagram, gaming platforms like Discord and Roblox, and video-sharing platforms such as YouTube and Bitchute, said the report.
All of the last eight self-radicalised Singaporeans were influenced by extremist materials they encountered online, noted the ISD.
The agency found that online platforms featured in terrorism-related activities in four broad areas: to enable the radicalisation or to accelerate it, to facilitate recruitment for terrorist-related activities; and to mobilise and prepare for armed violence.
"The emergence of technological innovations, such as AI, also risks complicating the terrorist threat globally and locally," said the ISD.
"Even though there is no indication that evolving technologies, such as AI and 3D printing, have been used in any terrorist attack plot in Singapore, we are seeing an emerging trend of evolving technologies featuring in local youth self-radicalisation cases."
It cited the examples of a 17-year-old ISIS supporter detained in September last year who had used an AI chatbot to generate a bai'ah – an oath of allegiance – to ISIS, and a 17-year-old far-right extremist detained in March this year who used an AI chatbot to find instructions for producing ammunition and also considered 3D printing his own firearms to carry out attacks.
"There is a need for increased cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially with technology and social media companies, to create a safer online environment," said the ISD.
It noted that technology firms have in recent years stepped up their efforts, such as regulating and removing egregious content on social media platforms.
"However, technology companies could continue to explore further efforts in this area, including collaboration with religious and community organisations, to guide users in navigating the digital space and positively influence the online discourse," said the ISD.
The agency also noted the uptick in the number of local self-radicalised youths, with half of the eight latest cases involving youths aged 20 or below.
"This brings the total number of youths dealt with under the ISA since 2015 to 17, with more than two-thirds (12) identified in the last five years," it said.
Singapore’s trend mirrors a broader global trend, with several western countries reporting last year that one in five terror suspects are under 18, while European countries reported that nearly two-thirds of ISIS-related arrests involved teenagers, according to the report.
ISD also said in its report that since 2002, almost 85 per cent of Singaporeans detained under the ISA have been released after making good progress in their rehabilitation. Of the 46 who were issued with Restriction Orders, 39 have had their orders lapsed.
"Most of them have also embarked on pro-social pursuits, such as upskilling themselves or taking up stable employment since their release."
Elsewhere in its report, ISD pointed to how the global Islamist terror threat persists, with organisations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda maintaining their enduring intent to conduct or inspire attacks.
"ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world’s largest Islamist terrorist organisations; it has cash reserves of some US$10 million (approximately S$12.9 million) and its fighters number between 1,500 and 3,000 in Iraq and Syria alone," said the agency in the report.
"In Southeast Asia, ISIS’s virtual or online caliphate poses a salient threat," said the ISD.
"Its propaganda materials are both opportunistic and localised; they are tailored to exploit external developments, such as the situation in Gaza, and local grievances to reinforce ISIS’s central narrative of armed violence."
ISIS and Al-Qaeda have also been among the groups inciting others to conduct attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, as well as those of countries seen as supporting Israel, since the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Closer to home, a pro-ISIS TikTok user in March this year issued a poster titled The Call to Truth, which labelled various regional countries’ governments, including Singapore, as "apostate" for oppressing Muslims, and urging Muslims to "take up arms" against those countries.
And on Aug 21 last year, Indonesian authorities arrested Indonesian militant Yudi Lukito Kurniawan in Sulawesi, Indonesia, on terror charges.
The former Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member had been tasked by terror group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2014 to lead an attack targeting the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
It was intended as an indirect strike against the United States, with Singapore deemed as an ally of the US and geographically closest to Indonesia, said the ISD.
When Yudi attempted to enter Singapore in February 2015 to possibly further the attack plot, he was denied entry due to his JI-related terror activities.
"At the time of his attempted visit to Singapore, the Singapore authorities were not aware of the SGX attack plot," said the ISD.
This underscores "the fluidity of terror allegiances amongst radicalised individuals given the broad common jihadist goals" of the various groups, noted the agency.
"There is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore," the ISD concluded in its report.
"Nevertheless, Singapore and our interests continue to be viewed as attractive and legitimate targets by terrorist and extremist elements, due to our friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, the presence of iconic structures in Singapore, and our status as a secular and multicultural state."
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This can be attributed to "a volatile global landscape arising from developments such as the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and continued traction of radical narratives", the department said in this year's Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report.
Evolving technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), was also highlighted by the ISD as a potential driving factor around the world, as well as in Singapore.
From July 2024 to last month, the agency dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act (ISA), comprising six males and two females between the ages of 15 and 56.
Four of them were triggered by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, while two others were influenced by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies. The remaining two were indoctrinated by far-right extremist ideologies.
This brings the total number of self-radicalised individuals here issued with ISA orders since 2015 to 60, comprising 48 Singaporeans and 12 foreigners.
ONLINE INFLUENCE "OF CONCERN"
ISD in its report also noted with concern the increasing variety of online platforms being used to disseminate extremist materials, especially among youths.
These include social media and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, X, Reddit and Instagram, gaming platforms like Discord and Roblox, and video-sharing platforms such as YouTube and Bitchute, said the report.
All of the last eight self-radicalised Singaporeans were influenced by extremist materials they encountered online, noted the ISD.
The agency found that online platforms featured in terrorism-related activities in four broad areas: to enable the radicalisation or to accelerate it, to facilitate recruitment for terrorist-related activities; and to mobilise and prepare for armed violence.
"The emergence of technological innovations, such as AI, also risks complicating the terrorist threat globally and locally," said the ISD.
"Even though there is no indication that evolving technologies, such as AI and 3D printing, have been used in any terrorist attack plot in Singapore, we are seeing an emerging trend of evolving technologies featuring in local youth self-radicalisation cases."
It cited the examples of a 17-year-old ISIS supporter detained in September last year who had used an AI chatbot to generate a bai'ah – an oath of allegiance – to ISIS, and a 17-year-old far-right extremist detained in March this year who used an AI chatbot to find instructions for producing ammunition and also considered 3D printing his own firearms to carry out attacks.
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"There is a need for increased cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially with technology and social media companies, to create a safer online environment," said the ISD.
It noted that technology firms have in recent years stepped up their efforts, such as regulating and removing egregious content on social media platforms.
"However, technology companies could continue to explore further efforts in this area, including collaboration with religious and community organisations, to guide users in navigating the digital space and positively influence the online discourse," said the ISD.
The agency also noted the uptick in the number of local self-radicalised youths, with half of the eight latest cases involving youths aged 20 or below.
"This brings the total number of youths dealt with under the ISA since 2015 to 17, with more than two-thirds (12) identified in the last five years," it said.
Singapore’s trend mirrors a broader global trend, with several western countries reporting last year that one in five terror suspects are under 18, while European countries reported that nearly two-thirds of ISIS-related arrests involved teenagers, according to the report.
Related:
ISD also said in its report that since 2002, almost 85 per cent of Singaporeans detained under the ISA have been released after making good progress in their rehabilitation. Of the 46 who were issued with Restriction Orders, 39 have had their orders lapsed.
"Most of them have also embarked on pro-social pursuits, such as upskilling themselves or taking up stable employment since their release."
"ENDURING" ISLAMIC EXTREMIST THREAT
Elsewhere in its report, ISD pointed to how the global Islamist terror threat persists, with organisations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda maintaining their enduring intent to conduct or inspire attacks.
"ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world’s largest Islamist terrorist organisations; it has cash reserves of some US$10 million (approximately S$12.9 million) and its fighters number between 1,500 and 3,000 in Iraq and Syria alone," said the agency in the report.
"In Southeast Asia, ISIS’s virtual or online caliphate poses a salient threat," said the ISD.
"Its propaganda materials are both opportunistic and localised; they are tailored to exploit external developments, such as the situation in Gaza, and local grievances to reinforce ISIS’s central narrative of armed violence."
ISIS and Al-Qaeda have also been among the groups inciting others to conduct attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, as well as those of countries seen as supporting Israel, since the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Closer to home, a pro-ISIS TikTok user in March this year issued a poster titled The Call to Truth, which labelled various regional countries’ governments, including Singapore, as "apostate" for oppressing Muslims, and urging Muslims to "take up arms" against those countries.
And on Aug 21 last year, Indonesian authorities arrested Indonesian militant Yudi Lukito Kurniawan in Sulawesi, Indonesia, on terror charges.
The former Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member had been tasked by terror group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2014 to lead an attack targeting the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
It was intended as an indirect strike against the United States, with Singapore deemed as an ally of the US and geographically closest to Indonesia, said the ISD.
When Yudi attempted to enter Singapore in February 2015 to possibly further the attack plot, he was denied entry due to his JI-related terror activities.
"At the time of his attempted visit to Singapore, the Singapore authorities were not aware of the SGX attack plot," said the ISD.
This underscores "the fluidity of terror allegiances amongst radicalised individuals given the broad common jihadist goals" of the various groups, noted the agency.
Related:
"There is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore," the ISD concluded in its report.
"Nevertheless, Singapore and our interests continue to be viewed as attractive and legitimate targets by terrorist and extremist elements, due to our friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, the presence of iconic structures in Singapore, and our status as a secular and multicultural state."
Continue reading...