Singapore detains 17-year-old boy for supporting Islamic State after being radicalised online
- The teenager was first investigated in 2017 after calling on Islamic State to behead President Halimah Yacob
- ‘Despite efforts to steer him away from the radical path, he remained a staunch supporter of Isis,’ the ministry of home affairs says
He was first investigated in September 2017 when he was 15 years old, after he posted defaced images of President Halimah Yacob on social media and called on Isis to behead her for supporting Singapore, which he viewed as an “infidel” state, the ministry said. He had been radicalised by a foreign online contact who introduced him to pro-Isis social media groups in 2017, it added.
Through these groups, he gained access to what he believed was exclusive Isis content. He regarded Isis as a powerful group fighting for Islam and its use of violence against its opponents was therefore justified, the MHA said.
“Despite efforts by MHA since 2017 to steer him away from the radical path, he remained a staunch supporter of Isis,” the ministry said. “He was willing to assist Isis in its online propaganda efforts and undertake other activities if called upon by Isis to do so.”
Even after Isis lost territory – its so-called caliphate – in Syria and Iraq, he still believed in the terrorist group and its violent cause, the MHA said. However, there are no signs that he had spread his pro-Isis views to others around him.
In a statement addressing the teenager’s detention, Singapore’s Islamic Religious Council (Muis) said it would like to “categorically debunk the views that he was influenced to believe, i.e. that Muslims cannot live in a secular country and take up any roles in government or as the head of state”.