16-Year-Old Student In Singapore Aspired To Carry Out Shooting In USA
A 16-year-old male student in Singapore has been handed a Restriction Order (RO) under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The Internal Security Department (ISD) said the Secondary 4 student had identified as a white supremacist and aspired to conduct attacks overseas to further the white supremacist cause.
Source: u/NC16inthehouse on Reddit
However, the 16-year-old did not act on these aspirations due to the lack of financial resources and knowledge.
He also did not plan on conducting any attacks in Singapore.
16-year-old student in Singapore exposed to ‘violent extremist material’
In a press release shared on Wednesday (24 Jan), ISD shared that they had issued an RO to a 16-year-old Singaporean student.
The student in question had been self-radicalised by far-right extremist propaganda online.
The radicalisation process started in 2022 after the teenager came across videos by Paul Nicholas Miller — a far-right personality based overseas.
By early 2023, the student developed an “intense hatred” for communities commonly targeted by far-right extremists.
These include:
- African Americans
- Arabs
- LGBTQ+ individuals
MHA also said that the teenager had also shared “violent anti-African American videos” in far-right chat groups and channels.
Identified as white supremacist despite being of Chinese ethnicity
Even though the Secondary 4 student is of Chinese ethnicity, the teenager identified as a white supremacist and pro-white sympathiser.
He had also hoped to be recruited for violent attacks by white supremacist groups overseas to “fight for the whites”.
Some of the countries that he had considered carrying out attacks against “vilified communities” include:
- France
- Italy
- US
- Russia
In particular, the youth had expressed interest in a chat group about carrying out a mass shooting in the US in 10 years’ time.
However, ISD shared that the youth did not take steps to “actualise” his plan due to a lack of financial resources and know-how.
ISD noted that the student did not harbour plans to conduct any attacks in Singapore.
There was also no evidence to suggest the youth had tried influencing his friends or family with his extremist views.
16-year-old issued restriction order
In light of their findings, ISD has issued the youth an RO which restricts him from:
- Travelling out of Singapore without permission
- Using the Internet or social media
- Issuing public statements
The 16-year-old will also undergo a rehabilitation programme designed to counter the violent extremist views that he had picked up and highlight its incompatibility with Singapore’s multi-racial and -multi-religious society.
In addition, the teenager will also receive psychological counselling to address his propensity to violence and factors that render him susceptible to radical influences.
ISD releases another teenager after 2-year detention
The 16-year-old is the second Singaporean radicalised by far-right extremist ideologies to be dealt with under ISA.
Back in December 2020, the ISD detained a separate 16-year-old who was also radicalised by far-right extremist ideologies.
16-Year-Old S’porean Plans Attacks On 2 Woodlands Mosques, Gets Arrested By ISD
The teenager, who was a Protestant Christian, had planned attacks on two mosques in Singapore.
ISD has since released the now-19-year-old from detention in light of the “good progress” he made during rehabilitation.
ISD’s assessment also found that he no longer poses an imminent security threat.
While under detention, the teenager continued with his studies and even sat for the GCE ‘N’ (Academic) and GCE ‘O’ Level exams.
Having done well for his exams, the teenager plans on furthering his studies at an Institute of Higher Learning.
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Featured image adapted from u/NC16inthehouse on Reddit.
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