A 17 year-old Singaporean youth who was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) has been released from custody and placed on a Restriction Order (RO) under the ISA for two years from June 2015, after being detained to facilitate investigations into the extent of his “radicalisation”.
The unnamed youth was arrested with post-secondary student M Arifil Azim Putra Norja’i, 19, who had made plans to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has yet to release further information on M Arifil.
In a media release yesterday, MHA noted that investigations have shown that the 17 year-old had “become radicalised after viewing videos, websites and social media materials propagated by radical ideologues and terrorist elements”.
“He had wanted to engage in armed violence alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and had started making preparations to carry out his plans,” said MHA.
Under the conditions of RO, the youth will be required to attend religious counselling and has to stop accessing violent or extremist online material.
He will not be allowed to leave Singapore without permission or to issue public statements.
“His release on an RO, with conditions attached, provides a balance between rehabilitation and preserving public security,” said MHA. “Further measures will be taken against him if he breaches the conditions of the RO, or if it is assessed that further measures are needed to protect public security.”
MHA also advised family members, friends, colleagues and members of the public to keep an eye out for Singaporeans who might be “radicalised”. The ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline is 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD).
