Singapore Holds Teen Suspected of Plotting Attack on Muslims

• 17-year-old male apprehended in March, according to ISD.
• Suspect identified as an ‘East Asian Supremacist’.
• “This boy aimed to kill at least 100 Muslims,” states the minister.

A teenager from Singapore has been detained for allegedly plotting to murder numerous Muslims outside various mosques, according to a statement from the Internal Security Department (ISD) of the city-state released on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old was arrested in March and had idolized white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who infamously killed worshippers at mosques in New Zealand in 2019, calling him a “hero.”

The ISD revealed that the teen identified himself as an “East Asian Supremacist” and had chosen five mosques across Singapore as targets for his attacks planned for after Friday prayers.

“His intention was to kill at least 100 Muslims, aiming to surpass the number Tarrant killed. He also had plans to live-stream his assaults,” Minister of Home Affairs K. Shanmugam informed reporters.

“At the time of his arrest, he was making various attempts to acquire a firearm. He openly stated to ISD that if he had obtained a gun, he would have executed his plans.”

The teenager had communicated online with an 18-year-old named Nick Lee, who was apprehended in December for similar intentions.

In recent years, Singapore, known for its multiculturalism, has seen a rise in arrests involving young individuals who were detained due to plans to commit violence after being exposed to extremist material online.

In 2024, authorities arrested another teenage boy who was allegedly planning a stabbing attack inspired by the Daesh group in a busy suburb.

In the same announcement on Wednesday, the ISD also mentioned that a 15-year-old girl had been placed under restrictions in February, preventing her from traveling or accessing the internet without approval from the ISD director.

It was alleged that between July 2023 and December 2024, the girl engaged in at least eight short-term online romantic relationships with supporters of the Daesh group based overseas.

“She pledged allegiance to a Daesh chatbot,” Shanmugam stated. “She aspired to fight and die for Daesh, looked up flights to Syria, and contemplated how to save money for her travel plans.”

The minister expressed concern over the escalating trend of radicalism and extremism among youth influenced by the internet.

The ISD noted that “self-radicalization can occur extremely rapidly,” stating, “In the case of the 15-year-old, it took only a matter of weeks.” The department urged the public to remain alert for warning signs.