Singapore detains 3 youths for planning school attacks

Singapore has detained three youths, aged 14, 15, and 19, under its Internal Security Act for allegedly planning attacks on schools and military facilities. Authorities stated that the 15-year-old was self-radicalized by Islamic State online content, while the other two had planned knife attacks.

The 19-year-old tertiary student supported the Islamic State and intended to carry out knife attacks against Singapore Armed Forces personnel at an airbase and against LGBT students at his school. The 14-year-old was arrested in May, having planned a mass stabbing attack against non-Muslim teachers and students during school holidays using a knife and penknife from home. He had written a 21-page manifesto intended for dissemination before the planned June attack.

Authorities described the 14-year-old's case as a "close shave," noting that someone at his school had observed signs of his radicalization and alerted the authorities. This youth subscribed to a combination of extremist ideologies, a phenomenon known as "composite violent extremism," supporting white supremacy, the Islamic State, and antisemitic and neo-Nazi narratives.

The three individuals can be held for up to two years without trial under the Internal Security Act. Singaporean authorities highlighted that over the past decade, more than half of the 23 youths dealt with under the act had intended to mount attacks within Singapore. The Internal Security Department urged the public to remain vigilant for signs of radicalization and to seek help from authorities early.