Singapore Terrorism Threat Remains High Amid Middle East Volatility and Youth Radicalisation

The Internal Security Department (ISD) announced on September 10 that the terrorism threat to Singapore remains high. This assessment is driven by a volatile global security environment and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran. While the ISD stated there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent attack, it noted that Singapore remains an attractive target due to its secular and multicultural society, iconic landmarks, and friendly ties with Western nations, specifically the United States and Israel.

Youth radicalisation has emerged as a pressing concern. According to the center-right source, cases involving young people nearly quadrupled from four cases between 2017 and 2021 to 15 cases since 2022. The center source reported that of the eight cases dealt with under the Internal Security Act since July 2025, six involved youths under the age of 21. The ISD warned that those being radicalised are getting younger and are increasingly influenced by social media and online gaming platforms that normalise violence. Three youths detained between April and June 2026 had formulated local attack plans and were close to executing them.

The ISD highlighted threats from global Islamist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, as well as the Iran-backed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxies. The report mentioned Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iranian-Iraqi national linked to the IRGC and HAYI, who applied for Singapore visas three times between 2023 and 2024 but was denied entry. Additionally, the ISD flagged the potential return of foreign terrorist fighters to Southeast Asia and the resettlement of former Hamas-linked prisoners in Malaysia.

To counter these threats, the ISD employs a whole-of-society approach focusing on detection, legislation, and rehabilitation. The center-right source noted that since 2002, more than 80 percent of Singaporeans detained under the Internal Security Act have been released after making progress in rehabilitation. The center source also highlighted the emergence of Composite Violent Extremism, where individuals draw from a diverse mix of extremist ideologies.