14-year-old Singaporean boy radicalised by mix of extremist ideologies, placed under ISA Restriction Order
A 14-year-old Secondary Three student has been placed under a Restriction Order (RO) after authorities discovered he had been self-radicalised by a mix of extremist ideologies, including ISIS propaganda, far-right hate speech, and incel content.
This is the first case in Singapore of a youth being radicalised by a “salad bar” of conflicting extremist beliefs, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release on Tuesday (9 Sept).
Exposed online to extremist material
The teenager first encountered extremist content online in mid-2024, when foreign personalities sharing far-right and true crime material drew his attention.
He soon spent hours each day consuming such content.
The boy also joined online chat groups that circulated extremist manifestos, including those of Brenton Tarrant, the Christchurch mosque attacker, and Anders Breivik, the Norwegian far-right terrorist.
Source: AFP via NBC News
Despite being Muslim, he selectively adopted ideas from both far-right and far-left groups.
MHA noted that his understanding of these ideologies was “shallow”, and he supported seemingly conflicting elements from each.
For example, he expressed support for North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il’s socialist/communist government that rejected Western liberal influence, while also endorsing Nazism for opposing communism, which he associated with Jewish influence.
Over time, his anti-Jewish sentiment intensified, and he even expressed support for Adolf Hitler’s killings of Jews.
Influenced by incel content, he also harboured resentment and hatred towards women, though he had no intention of acting on it.
Pledged allegiance to ISIS
By November 2024, the teenager had discovered ISIS propaganda videos and began searching for more.
By April 2025, he had pledged allegiance to the group online.
Source: Britannica, for illustration purposes only
He declared himself a member of ISIS and aspired to become a mujahid, or fighter, in Syria when older.
Authorities found that he shared large amounts of ISIS-related content online, including videos he had created that glorified the group’s violent actions.
Some of this material was circulated to his schoolmates, though none were radicalised.
He also idolised terrorist figures such as Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki, consuming their speeches and writings.
Links to extremists abroad
The teenager was even in online contact with several foreign extremists, including an alleged Iraq-based ISIS supporter who sent him bomb-making manuals and offered to help plan an attack in Singapore.
Fortunately, he did not act on these offers.
Investigators noted that he had harboured violent fantasies, including targeting Jews and carrying out a school shooting inspired by Elliot Rodger, who killed six people in Isla Vista, California in May 2014.
He deliberately concealed his online activity by deleting extremist content from his devices and using data-masking tools.
His family was unaware of his radicalisation.
Rehabilitation underway to fix his ‘lack of critical thinking skills’
MHA said the boy will undergo a holistic rehabilitation programme.
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs on Facebook
This includes counselling from the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) to counter ISIS ideology, alongside psychological and social support to address his propensity for hatred and violence.
The programme also seeks to tackle factors that made him vulnerable to radicalisation, including his “lack of critical thinking skills”, and provides mentorship appropriate for his age.
His school and family are working with authorities to ensure his studies continue uninterrupted.
30-year-old also placed under Restriction Order
Alongside the teenager, 30-year-old Muhammad Jihadul Mustaqiim bin Mahmud was issued an RO in July 2025.
Jihadul had aspired to join foreign conflicts, initially in Syria against the Assad regime, and later in support of Türkiye against Greece after the Assad regime fell.
He had also undertaken firearms training overseas in preparation for potential combat.
Authorities said his case underscores how overseas conflicts can still pose security risks to Singapore.
They noted that the 14-year-old’s radicalisation reflects a global trend in which youths, exposed to extremist content online, are more susceptible to cherry-picking elements from conflicting ideologies due to their less developed cognitive skills.
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Featured image adapted from Ministry of Home Affairs on Facebook and Britannica, for illustration purposes only.
