ISD warns terrorism threat to Singapore remains high; youth radicalisation a pressing concern
Of the eight cases dealt with under the Internal Security Act since July 2025, six involved youths under the age of 21, according to the Internal Security Department’s latest Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report.
A view of Singapore’s central business district on Apr 2, 2024. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
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SINGAPORE: The terrorism threat to Singapore remains high, with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East contributing to a volatile global security environment and elevating the terrorism threat worldwide, said the Internal Security Department (ISD) on Thursday (Sep 10).
While there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore, the country and its interests remain an attractive target for terrorist elements, ISD said in this year’s Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report.
This is due to Singapore’s perceived friendly ties with Western nations, including the United States and Israel; the presence of iconic landmarks in the country; and its status as a secular and multicultural society, ISD said.
Against this increasingly complex external threat landscape, self-radicalisation remains the key driver of Singapore’s domestic terrorism threat, with individuals increasingly drawing from a diverse and overlapping mix of extremist ideologies, ISD said.
Youth radicalisation is also of pressing concern, the department warned, noting that there has been a marked increase in youth radicalisation cases dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Concerningly, those being radicalised are getting younger, ISD added.
The department also highlighted the emergence of Composite Violent Extremism (CoVE) – also known as “salad bar” extremism – among self-radicalised individuals, particularly youths.
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OVERSEAS CONFLICTS HEIGHTEN THREATS OF ATTACK
Singapore and Southeast Asia continue to feel the ripple effects of geopolitical tensions and instability in the Middle East, ISD said, pointing to activities by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its armed proxies, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
This network has “elevated the threat of terrorism beyond the immediate theatre of conflict in the Middle East”.
Tensions caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the US-Israel conflict with Iran have also contributed to a rise in antisemitism, anti-Muslim rhetoric and Islamophobia in many parts of the world, fuelled by far-right extremist narratives.
“In some cases, such hatred has translated into violence,” ISD said.
The department said there was a heightened risk of attacks by the IRGC and its network of proxies, including the newly emerged Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), which has been linked to attacks in Canada, France and the United Kingdom.
A key operative of the Iran-backed Kata’ib Hizballah in Iraq and HAYI, Iranian-Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi had applied for visas to visit Singapore on three separate occasions in 2023 and 2024, but did not travel to Singapore. He was believed to have travelled to Southeast Asia in recent years.
Baqer is believed to have directed at least 20 HAYI-linked attacks and attempted attacks on US and Jewish interests across Europe, the US and Canada.
He was arrested in Türkiye in May 2026 and charged in the US for plotting to attack a synagogue in New York City and two other Jewish centres in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona.
“We do not discount the possibility that Baqer’s travel to this region could have been for terrorism purposes and he could have set his sight on targeting Singapore, including US and Israeli/Jewish interests here,” ISD said. “Had he attempted to enter Singapore, he would have been denied entry.”
ISD also warned that the violent extremist landscape in Southeast Asia is becoming more diverse, with far-right extremism, Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE) and related online subcultures such as the True Crime Community blurring together online.
To illustrate this, it cited a November 2025 incident where a 17-year-old True Crime Community participant detonated four improvised explosive devices in his high school in Jakarta, injuring at least 96. ISD added that he had drawn inspiration from far-right extremist symbols, slogans and attackers.
In June 2026, two youths aged 14 and 15 also conducted an NVE-linked school shooting in Tacloban City, the Philippines, killing three and injuring 20 others, ISD said.
Emerging forms of extremism
In its report, ISD highlighted several forms of extremism that are emerging in Singapore and beyond. CNA breaks down five of them.
Composite Violent Extremism (CoVE)
CoVE – also known as “salad bar” extremism – refers to a form of violent extremism where individuals subscribe to multiple, and sometimes conflicting, ideologies, rather than adhering to a single, coherent or unified worldview.
This results in personalised composite belief systems that individuals use to justify violence.
Singapore has seen three local CoVE cases since September 2025: A 15-year-old who supported Islamic State, subscribed to aspects of far-right and far-left extremist beliefs, and identified as an incel; a 14-year-old who supported Islamic State and held far-right extremist beliefs such as antisemitic and racial supremacist beliefs; and a 19-year-old who supported Hamas, held anti-West and anti-LGBTQ views and identified as an incel.
Far-Right Extremism
Far-right extremism has traditionally been associated with white-supremacist and ethnonationalist ideologies. However, online far-right extremist communities are increasingly localising their narratives, ISD said.
The adapted narratives can encompass elements such as “East Asian supremacy”, anti-Muslim prejudice and antisemitism.
Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE)
NVE refers to violence driven by a deep hostility towards society or humanity, where violence itself – rather than a clear political, religious or ideological goal – is a central motivation.
“NVE extremists essentially engage in violence for violence’s sake,” S Rajaratnam School of International Studies dean Kumar Ramakrishna told CNA previously.
NVE is particularly influenced by the online True Crime Community.
Extremism linked to the True Crime Community
The True Crime Community is a broad, decentralised online subculture centred on real-life violent crime, where individuals glorify, celebrate and exhibit fan-like behaviour towards perpetrators of extreme violence.
While not inherently extremist, part of the True Crime Community subculture can overlap with NVE, where fascination with violent perpetrators turns into glorification, identification with their grievances or a desire to emulate their violent acts.
Extremism linked to the incel ideology
The incel subculture – “incel” being short for “involuntary celibate” – is a subculture of individuals, mostly men, who identify as being unable to find a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one.
The incel community is a subset of the “manosphere”, a broad online network of communities centred on male supremacism, anti-feminism and grievance-based views on gender.
Some incel ideologies have been linked to misogyny, violence and extremism.
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SELF-RADICALISATION “KEY TERRORISM THREAT” IN SINGAPORE
Self-radicalisation remains the key driver of Singapore’s domestic terrorism threat, ISD said.
Since the previous iteration of ISD’s Terrorism Threat Assessment Report was released in July 2025, eight Singaporeans have been dealt with under the ISA. Of the eight, seven were self-radicalised.
“Extremist propaganda and narratives originating overseas can reach individuals in Singapore quickly through online platforms, while overseas conflicts can serve as powerful triggers for radicalisation,” ISD said.
At the same time, extremist influences and motivations for violence seen in Singapore are becoming more diverse, with increasing overlaps.
Three Singaporeans dealt with under the ISA within the past year were radicalised by CoVE.
Islamic State has continued to radicalise Singaporeans as the group’s terrorist propaganda remains easily accessible online.
Among the eight Singaporeans dealt with under the ISA over the past year, five were Islamic State supporters. All of them were first exposed to pro-Islamic State materials on social media platforms.
YOUTH RADICALISATION OF “PRESSING CONCERN”
There has been a “marked increase” in youth radicalisation in the cases dealt with under the ISA, with six out of eight cases in the past year alone involving youths under the age of 21.
The number of youth ISA cases in the past five years has nearly quadrupled, ISD said, from four cases between 2017 and 2021 to 15 cases from 2022 to the present.
Of particular concern is that those being radicalised are getting younger. Since June 2024, four 14-year-olds have been issued with ISA orders, making them the youngest to be dealt with under the ISA.
All five of the Islamic State supporters dealt with over the past year have been under 21 years old, with three of the youths planning to carry out Islamic State-inspired attacks in Singapore with simple, easily accessible weapons.
All three cases of CoVE dealt with also involved youths under the age of 21, with ISD saying this reflected a broader global concern about youths’ susceptibility to radicalisation by CoVE.
Online platforms, particularly online gaming platforms, have featured prominently in youth self-radicalisation cases in Singapore as they enable extremist content to spread rapidly.
“Youths who spend significant amounts of time online may encounter violent extremist content within online communities or through algorithmic recommendations on social media,” ISD said.
“Repeated engagement with such content can reinforce extremist beliefs and create online ideological echo chambers.”
By using online games to simulate terrorist attacks or mass shootings, the youths were also repeatedly exposed to graphic violence that can normalise their attitudes towards violence and reinforce their fascination with violent perpetrators.
“Over time, fantasies of violence rehearsed in virtual spaces may develop into intentions or plans to commit real-world violence,” ISD warned.
Speaking at a doorstop interview on the three self-radicalised youths on Jul 27, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam said: “ISD and MHA have got to get it right every single time. The would-be attacker needs to get it right only once.”
“The moment you see something not quite right, please report. Don’t just leave it to ISD and the police … so far, every single time, we have been successful in intervening. But don’t take that for granted,” he cautioned.
“The government takes a serious view of any form of support for terrorism or extremist ideologies in Singapore, whether by Singaporeans or foreigners,” ISD said.
“ISD will take firm action against any individual in Singapore who supports, promotes, undertakes or makes preparations to undertake armed violence, regardless of how they rationalise such violence or where the violence takes place.”
Source: CNA/rk(kg)
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