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SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old Singaporean boy was detained in December under Singapore’s Internal Security Act (ISA) after planning to use a machete to attack Muslims at two mosques in the Woodlands area in March, on the anniversary of the Christchurch attacks in New Zealand.
The teenager, who was not named, is a Protestant Christian of Indian ethnicity. He is the youngest person to be treated under the ISA for terrorism-related activities, the Department of Homeland Security (ISD) said in a press release on Wednesday (January 27).
A High School 4 student at the time of his arrest, he is the first detainee inspired by far-right ideology, ISD added.
ISD stated that the teenager was influenced by the 2019 terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch. He had planned to carry out his attacks on March 15 this year.
“He became self-radicalized, motivated by a strong antipathy towards Islam and a fascination with violence,” ISD said.
He saw live video of the terrorist attack on the two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, 2019, and read the manifesto of Christchurch attacker Brenton Tarrant.
“He had also seen propaganda videos of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and came to the wrong conclusion that ISIS represented Islam and that Islam was asking its followers to kill non-believers.”
COPY OF THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACKS
ISD said the teen was found to have made detailed plans and preparations to attack the two mosques, and that it was “clear” that he was influenced by Tarrant’s actions and manifesto.
He chose the Assyafaah Mosque and the Yusof Ishak Mosque as his targets because they were close to his home, ISD said, adding that it conducted an online survey and investigation using Google Maps and Street View at both mosques to prepare for the attacks.
According to ISD at a press conference, the teenager initially considered the An-Nur Mosque instead of the Yusof Ishak Mosque, but the latter was considered closer to the Assyafaah Mosque. He planned his travel route, identified the entrances to the mosque and where to park his vehicle, ISD said.
To prepare for the stabbing attack, the teen watched YouTube videos, ISD said, and was confident of hitting his targets’ arteries by randomly severing their neck and chest areas.
Carousel striped machete that the youths pretended to buy for the attacks. (Photo: ISD)
At the time of his arrest, the teen had found his machete choice in Carousell and added it to his favorite lists, but had not yet purchased it, ISD said.
According to the listing, the Smith & Wesson machete cost S $ 190. He intended to save for the purchase and was confident that he would do so in time for the planned attacks, ISD added.
LOGISTICS PLANNING
Similar to what Tarrant did, the 16-year-old student intended to drive between the two mosques and planned to seize a vehicle to use during the attacks.
He was aware of the need to travel quickly between attack sites, according to ISD, adding that he intended to steal his father’s credit card to rent a BlueSG vehicle after identifying a car-sharing station near his House.
He also did not have a driver’s license, but was confident he could “make it work,” ISD told the news conference.
Before deciding on the machete as an attack weapon, ISD said its “original plan” was to use an assault rifle similar to the one Tarrant used.
The teenager managed to find a potential seller through Telegram, but did not follow through after suspecting it was a scam when the seller requested payment in Bitcoin.
He also checked the weapons and explosives license requirements and considered joining the Singapore Rifle Association.
“However, he persisted in searching for firearms online and only gave up the idea when he realized that it would be difficult to get one given Singapore’s strict gun control laws,” ISD said in its press release.
Tactical vest bought by young people on an online platform. (Photo: ISD)
The teenager also explored making a triacetone tripoxide bomb (TATP) and setting fire to mosques with gasoline, mimicking Tarrant’s plan.
“He eventually abandoned both ideas due to logistical and personal security concerns,” ISD said.
The teenager had also purchased a tactical vest from Carousell last November, with the intention of adorning it with far-right symbols. He also wanted to modify it so that he could use his mobile device to broadcast the attack live, just like Tarrant did, ISD said.
ADOLESCENT WANTED TO DISCLOSE HIS IDEALS
Further mimicking Tarrant, ISD said the teen had prepared two documents it wanted to release before his attacks.
The first was a message to the people of France, which he wrote after the attack on Christians in a church in Nice in October last year. In the message, he called on the French people to “stand up for what is right”, stating that “we cannot let (Muslims) hang around in our bushes and wait for them to attack.”
The second document, which ISD said was not yet completed when he was arrested, was a manifesto detailing his hatred for Islam and his belief that “violence should never be resolved with peace.” The draft borrowed heavily from Tarrant’s manifesto and referred to the terrorist as a “saint,” ISD said.
ISD said the detailed planning and preparation attested to the teen’s determination to go ahead with his plan of attack.
“He admitted during the investigation that he could only foresee two outcomes of his plan: that he is arrested before he can carry out the attacks, or that he executes the plan and then is killed by the police,” ISD said.
Speaking to reporters, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said it was “quite chilling” to hear the teenager tell ISD officials this.
“He came in fully prepared, knowing he was going to die, and he was prepared to die.”
According to ISD, investigations thus far indicate that the young man had acted alone, with no indication that he tried to influence someone with his extreme attitude or involve others in his attack plans.
“His immediate family and others in his social circles were unaware of his attack plans and the depth of his hatred for Islam,” ISD said.
Despite his age, the teen knew what he was doing, ISD said, noting that the “specificity” of his plans showed they were not simply “random musings.”
The agency added that it received intelligence last November on a Singapore-based individual who wanted to attack Muslims in Singapore. The teenager was arrested under the ISA on November 26 and an arrest warrant was issued on December 23.
“He approached him to pose an imminent security threat,” ISD said.
The case is a “disturbing development”, said Mr. Shanmugam, noting that since 2015, seven people under the age of 20 have been detained or received restraining orders under the ISA.
Before this case, the youngest person detained under the ISA was a 17-year-old high school student who had shown his support for ISIS.
HOW IT WAS SELF-RADICALIZED
Explaining how the 16-year-old self-radicalized, ISD said he had a fascination for violent materials and frequented sites and forums specializing in blood.
In late 2019, he saw ISIS propaganda videos while browsing for violent material, and was particularly angered by an ISIS video showing an execution of Ethiopian Christians.
The teenager “wrongly concluded” that Islam taught its followers to kill Christians, ISD said.
Around the same time, ISD said an online image of Tarrant’s rifle piqued their interest. He found Tarrant’s manifesto and live-streamed attack video, and the latter gave him a “rush.”
“The anti-Muslim aspect of the ideology resonated with him,” added ISD.
But the turning point was on October 29 last year, when the attack in Nice occurred. The teenager was convinced that an attack by Muslims against Christians would happen “sooner or later,” ISD said. It was then that he began the detailed plans for his attacks.
Had the attack been successful, Shanmugam said it likely would have sparked fear and conflict between different racial and religious groups.
“If one person in one day decides that he is going to attack mosques, churches or temples, our gun control laws mean that people like him cannot kill many people at once,” he said.
“But carry a knife and decide that you want to do something? It will not be easy to prevent every time. “
INVESTIGATION AND REHABILITATION PROCESS
Before the teenager was arrested, ISD said his mother was present during an interview, with an engaged Appropriate Adult during the investigation period.
The teen was also allowed family visits during the 30-day investigation period, which is generally prohibited for the first 30 days, ISD said.
Given that the current rehabilitation approach is geared towards Islamist terrorism cases, ISD said the teen may require Christian religious counseling to correct misconceptions.
You will be given psychological counseling to address your propensity for violence and your vulnerability to radical influences.
You will also be able to continue your education while in detention, with tutoring to guide you in pro-social behavior, ISD said.
“The case demonstrates once again that extreme ideas can find resonance among Singaporeans and radicalize them, regardless of their race or religion,” stated ISD.
“It is a threat to all of us and to our way of life. We must remain vigilant for signs that someone around us may have become radicalized, so that we can intervene early to avoid a tragedy. “
