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S'porean teen who wanted to carry out attacks here detained

This article is more than 12 months old

He planned to attack key facilities and assassinate government leaders

A 19-year-old post-secondary student has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for terrorism-related activities since April. 

M Arifil Azim Putra Norja'i wanted to carry out violent attacks here and tried to recruit several people to help him with these plans.

He planned to attack key facilities and assassinate government leaders. 

If he was unable to carry out his plans, he considered carrying out attacks in public places using weapons such as knives. 

Wanted to join ISIS

Investigations showed that Arifil's radicalisation started in 2013, after he viewed terrorist propaganda online. 

He became captivated by the radical ideology of the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and planned to join them.

He befriended individuals online whom he thought could help him join the group, and searched for information online on how to travel to Syria. 

He had also searched for information on how to make explosive devices. 

He revealed he would carry out attacks here if he was unable to join ISIS in Syria. 

Arifil's radicalisation was brought to the attention of the authorities by someone who knew him and had noticed how he had changed. 

In a statement, a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Arifil is the first known self-radicalised Singaporean to harbour the intention to carry out violent attacks here. 

This month, another Singaporean youth, aged 17, was arrested under ISA for further investigations into the extent of his radicalisation.

His family will be informed of the outcome of the investigations, said the MHA spokesman. 

MHA advises anyone who knows or suspects a person is radicalised to promptly call the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800-2626-473. 

JI members released from detention

Sahrudin Mohd Sapian, Mohd Rafee Abdul Rahman and Mohd Rashid Zainal Abidin, members of South-east Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), were released from detention in February and May 2014 and placed on Restriction Orders (RO). 

Their release comes after they were assessed to no longer pose a security threat that required preventive detention. 

A person issued with a Restriction Order must abide by certain conditions and restrictions.

For example, he or she will have to get the prior approval of the director of the Internal Security Department (ISD) to change his residence or employment, issue public statements or be a member of any organisation, association or group. 

Separately, the ROs against four JI members and one self-radicalised individual were allowed to lapse between June 2014 and April this year.

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