Declassified records reveal how Singapore foiled Jemaah Islamiah’s terror plots against several targets

The militant group had identified about 80 targets, including Changi Airport, water pipelines between Singapore and Malaysia and the US and British embassies

The new details were released by the Internal Security Department in a report marking the 20th anniversary of its dragnet that busted JI operations in Singapore

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Planes parked on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:08pm, 4 Dec 2021Updated: 4:17pm, 4 Dec 2021

The Internal Security Department (ISD) has released newly declassified details of terror plans by the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) organisation against about 80 targets in Singapore. These include previously unreleased statements by JI detainees and surveillance footage obtained by the group as it plotted against the city state.

From trying to provoke war with Malaysia to debilitating Singapore’s key infrastructure and economy, JI’s targeting of Singapore remains the nation’s “closest shave with transnational Islamist terrorism to date”, ISD said on Saturday.

In a report commemorating the 20th anniversary of its dragnet that smashed JI operations in Singapore, ISD said that the terrorist group had carried out extensive reconnaissance for many of the almost 80 targets it had identified in the Asian financial hub.

Previously, ISD had provided some details on these plots, stating in a 2003 White Paper presented to Parliament that JI had “at least six plans”.

For example, the White Paper documented how the plans and surveillance footage to attack a shuttle bus at Yishun MRT Station wound up in Afghanistan, only to be discovered by American military forces there.

“In making these plans, JI relied heavily on video reconnaissance of the targets, usually making recordings over several visits and making a final composite video for final preparations and planning,” ISD said then, though it had waited until now to release the video footage.

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