Three self-radicalised Singaporean youths have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after authorities uncovered separate plans to carry out violent attacks in Singapore.
The youths, aged 14, 15 and 19, were each issued Orders of Detention between April and June 2026 after investigations found they had embraced violent extremist ideologies online and made preparations for attacks.
According to the Internal Security Department (ISD), all three had progressed beyond merely consuming extremist content. Each had researched weapons or explosives and was at different stages of planning violence before they were arrested.
15-Year-Old Allegedly Planned To Establish “Malaya Caliphate”
The first case involved a 15-year-old Secondary Four student who was reportedly radicalised by ISIS propaganda after being exposed to online content surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
ISD said the teenager initially expressed support for Hamas before gradually embracing ISIS ideology. He later became convinced that an Islamic caliphate should be established across parts of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, referring to it as the “Malaya Caliphate”.
He allegedly created a flag for the proposed caliphate, set up online chat groups to recruit supporters and researched the manufacture of improvised explosive devices.
Investigators also found that he had publicly pledged allegiance to ISIS online and intended to use his future National Service to gain firearms training and improve his combat abilities.
Although he had not chosen a specific target, ISD said he had planned an attack in Singapore aimed at causing multiple civilian casualties before he was arrested.
Authorities noted that while his family and friends were reportedly aware of his extremist views, none alerted the authorities.
19-Year-Old Allegedly Targeted SAF Personnel And LGBTQ Schoolmates
The second detainee was 19-year-old Tan Jun Jie, a Muslim convert who began practising Islam in 2022 before later becoming exposed to extremist teachings online.
ISD said Tan eventually came to view himself as a member of ISIS and believed armed violence against those he considered “disbelievers” was religiously justified.
He allegedly intended to travel overseas to join an ISIS affiliate in Somalia after abandoning an earlier idea of travelling to Gaza.
Investigators said Tan also planned attacks within Singapore, identifying SAF personnel stationed at the entrance of Sembawang Air Base as one target and LGBTQ students at his school as another.
He reportedly researched knife attack techniques, selected a knife he intended to purchase and was prepared to die while carrying out the attacks.
Separately, Tan is under investigation for suspected offences under the Computer Misuse Act after allegedly attempting distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against the websites of several local and overseas Muslim organisations that he considered “deviant”.
14-Year-Old Allegedly Planned School Stabbing
The third case involved a 14-year-old boy who ISD said was first exposed to violent extremist material at the age of 12.
According to the authorities, he initially encountered Roblox first-person shooter games that recreated real-life school shootings before consuming violent videos, mass shooting content and ISIS propaganda online.
He also became influenced by neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic and white supremacist material, resulting in support for multiple extremist ideologies.
Fuelled by grievances over bullying and academic stress, the youth allegedly planned a mass stabbing at his school during the June 2026 school holidays.
ISD said he initially explored using firearms before abandoning the idea due to Singapore’s strict gun laws. He later considered making bombs before deciding on knives after watching ISIS execution and stabbing videos.
Investigators recovered a penknife, kitchen knife and a 21-page manifesto titled A Call to Action, which allegedly outlined his planned attack and encouraged other bullied youths to respond with violence.
The teenager also allegedly intended to livestream the attack, pledge allegiance to ISIS during the incident and take his own life afterwards.
A member of his school eventually noticed warning signs and informed the authorities before the plan could be carried out.
ISD Warns Of Growing Online Radicalisation Threat
ISD said the cases demonstrate how extremist content from different ideologies, including Islamist extremism, neo-Nazism and accelerationist beliefs, is becoming increasingly accessible online.
The department warned that violent games, graphic videos and extremist propaganda can normalise violence and make vulnerable youths more susceptible to radicalisation.
The authorities urged parents, schools and members of the public to remain alert to warning signs, including frequent visits to extremist websites, sharing support for terrorist groups, expressing hatred towards specific communities or advocating violence.
ISD added that early intervention can help prevent radicalised individuals from progressing towards violence and, in some instances, allow rehabilitation without the need for detention under the ISA.
All three youths are currently undergoing rehabilitation programmes addressing their ideological beliefs as well as their psychological and social vulnerabilities, while ISD continues working with their families and schools to support their education during detention.