SINGAPORE – One was a 41-year-old director of a digital marketing company.
Another was a 21-year-old lift mechanic.
And the third was a 44-year-old security guard.
All three Singaporean men were arrested by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in October 2024, a year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
The men were affected by the war and had been self-radicalised online. They were determined to fight for Israel’s enemies.
On Jan 9, the ISD said the men were detained under the Internal Security Act in November 2024 after they were readying themselves to travel to the Middle-East to fight against Israel.
They had practised how to kill, and had either gone to or planned to visit shooting ranges in Thailand and Indonesia to train using firearms.
One of them was willing to carry out attacks in Singapore.
The ISD identified the three men as Muhammad Indra Aqmal Effendy, 21; Mohamad Latiff Rahim, 41; and Nurisham Yusoff, 44.
ISD said while the three cases were unrelated, their radicalisation was either triggered or accelerated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Local health officials said nearly 46,000 Gazans have been killed, while Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7 killed 1,200 people with over 250 hostages taken.
Indra and Nurisham planned to fight for Hamas in Gaza, while Latiff planned to fight for Iran-linked militant groups in the Middle-East.
Indra the mechanic
Following the Oct 7 attacks, Indra, a lift mechanic, consumed online content which showed Palestinian civilians killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
He was affected by the suffering of the Palestinians and came across extremist materials on armed jihad and martyrdom.
He hated the IDF and wanted to fight for Hamas, believing this was a legitimate form of armed jihad, and wanted to die a martyr while fighting.
Indra prepared to travel to Gaza by researching online for possible travel routes and identifying an online foreign contact based in the Palestinian territories whom he thought could help him.
He honed his unarmed combat skills and practised reloading and pulling the trigger with toy guns at home. He had searched online for shooting ranges in Batam where he could train with weapons.
Latiff the director
Latiff was the director of a digital marketing company and was based in Bangkok.
He viewed online content on End-of-Times prophecies in 2010, and was convinced it would happen in his lifetime.
He also believed it was his duty to fight the enemies of Islam during the End-of-Times.
To prepare himself for battle, he visited a shooting range in Bangkok in 2022.
The Oct 7 attacks further convinced him the End-of-Times was imminent and that Iran’s Supreme Leader would soon issue a call for Muslims to engage in armed jihad.
He practised stabbing and slashing motions with kitchen knives at least four to five times a month in Bangkok.
He also simulated attacks on vital body points such as the chest and jugular veins, which he believed would cause instant death.
While Latiff did not have any specific plans to carry out attacks in Singapore, he admitted he was willing to do so if instructed.
He was arrested when he returned to Singapore in October 2024.
Nurisham the security guard
While looking for religious knowledge on social media in 2020, Nurisham was exposed to foreign radical and segregationist preachers.
He believed martyrdom was the easiest way for him to atone for his sins to enter heaven during the impending End-of-Times.
He found online extremist materials linked to the Israel-Hamas war, becoming convinced it was his religious obligation to travel to Gaza to fight.
Nurisham looked for ways to enter Gaza and posted extensively on social media about the war, hoping someone would help get him into the war zone.
He believed the military training he had undergone while serving with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) would be useful.
He also planned to visit a shooting range in Batam.
In response to queries, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said security systems and processes have been put in place at the national level and within the SAF to screen for and detect personnel who may pose as security threats.
A Mindef spokesman said: “It is a legitimate concern and security threat that national servicemen could use their skills learned in the SAF to commit criminal acts or acts of terrorism.
“The Military Security Department within Mindef regularly screens for persons who might pose such threats. If identified, such persons will not be put into positions to acquire soldiering skills or gain access to equipment that pose a threat.”
She added Mindef works closely with other government security agencies, and that SAF commanders also engage their soldiers regularly to strengthen cohesion and promote mutual understanding between people of different backgrounds.
ISD said the three men acted alone, and there was no indication they had radicalised or recruited others in Singapore.
Their family members here were unaware of their violent plans.
ISD said: “These three cases highlight how overseas conflicts can have an impact on Singapore’s security. Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, ISD has dealt with at least five Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act, whose radicalisation was either triggered or accelerated by the conflict.”
The two other cases are a Secondary 3 student, and a former public servant who was a manager with a statutory board. They were issued Restriction Orders (ROs) under the ISA in June and July 2024 respectively.
In an update on other cases, the ISD said Mohamed Khairul Riduan Mohamed Sarip, 40, was released from detention on an RO under the ISA in November 2024.
The former Ministry of Education teacher was the first public servant detained for terror-related offences in Singapore in October 2022.
ISD said he has shown good progress in his rehabilitation and was assessed to no longer pose a security threat requiring preventive detention.
The ROs for three Singaporeans were also allowed to lapse, as they had made good progress in their rehabilitation.
They are former lawyer Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, 46; former Jemaah Islamiyah member Mohamed Hussain Saynudin, 51; and former freelance religious teacher Murad Mohamed Said, 52.
ISD reminded the public to stay vigilant against radical elements and extremist content, which encourage or legitimise acts of terrorism and violent extremism.
It said that possible signs of radicalisation include:
- Frequently surfing radical websites;
- Posting/sharing extremist views on social media platforms, such as expressing support/admiration for terrorists/terrorist groups and the use of violence;
- Sharing extremist views with friends and relatives;
- Making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities;
- Expressing intent to participate in acts of violence overseas or in Singapore; and/or
- Inciting others to participate in acts of violence.
Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised should contact the ISD hotline 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD).
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