S’porean Plans To Join ISIS In Armed Violence, Gets Detained By ISD

ISD Detains Singaporean After Learning His Intentions To Join ISIS

While attaining knowledge online has become a norm, the outcome is not always positive for everyone.

For Singaporean Radjev Lal Madan Lal, his self-radicalisation online and subsequent harbouring of intentions to join ISIS in armed violence ended in his arrest by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in Apr.

Source: India Times

The 29-year-old reportedly began his path to radicalisation in 2013 when he heard online sermons by a foreign preacher from Trinidad and Tobago.

Soon after, the radical teachings convinced him that it was his ‘religious obligation’ to participate in armed violence.

Self-radicalised man would’ve attacked Singapore if instructed to do so

According to The Straits Times (ST), Radjev had been practising “knifing techniques” in preparation for combat at the time of his arrest. He was then thinking of joining the militant Taliban group in Afghanistan.

The former mover at a logistics company reportedly tried to recruit family, friends, and people online via a social media group, but was unsuccessful as none of them responded positively.

Although Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that Radjev had no specific attack plans against Singapore, he admitted his willingness to conduct one if instructed to do so.

Believed it was his “religious obligation”

Radjev’s radicalisation allegedly began when he started listening to the teachings of three prominent radical preachers.

They include Imran Hosein, Anwar Al-Awlaki, and Musa Cerantonio. Australian authorities had arrested Cerantonio in 2019 for seven years for terrorism-related offences.

The teachings of these three men apparently influenced Radjev to believe that it became his “religious obligation” to participate in armed violence alongside the Black Flag Army (BFA).

CNA also reports that Radjev believed that dying on the battlefield alongside the terrorist group would earn him rewards in the afterlife.

He then set off researching the different factions. Radjev even made plans to travel to Syria to join ISIS.

However, he eventually put off the idea after Imran disputed ISIS’s relation to the BFA.

Get information from credible sources

This latest arrest proves once again that Singaporeans are not immune to extremist rhetoric, despite the geographical distance.

With easy access of information on the Internet, such threats become especially dangerous.

Therefore, we should all be wary of the information we receive online. Always check with credible sources, and likewise monitor our loved ones’ online activities.

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Featured image adapted from @Xabardor on Twitter.