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The Internal Security Department (ISD) previously investigated the sword-wielding man in Buangkok for possible terrorism-related offences, but he was not found to have been radicalised.

Fadhil bin Yusop, 37 is now under investigation by the ISD and police following Monday's incident.

He will be charged on March 16 with voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, ISD said on March 15.

"Fadhil is believed to have acted alone, and preliminary investigations thus far do not suggest that the incident is an act of terror," ISD said.

"He had allegedly consumed some unknown pills prior to leaving his home with the sword."

Fadhil had allegedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the incident at about 1.56pm on Monday at Buangkok Crescent.

The phrase means "God is the Greatest" in Arabic.

Alarmed members of the public called the police for help.

Married with four children

Shin Min Daily News interviewed Fadhil's wife, Yati, and reported that the couple has four children.

They reside in Buangkok.

Yati said she met Fadhil in Batam and they have been married for 13 years.

Their youngest child is one year and eight months old.

Throughout the duration of their marriage, Yati, whose nationality is Indonesian, said her husband went to jail twice before.

According to Shin Min, she is in Singapore on a long-term visit pass and it will expire in 2023.

Promised not to commit crime again

Yati said Fadhil had promised not to commit any crime again, and became a food deliveryman who earned about S$2,000 a month.

However, she said her husband allegedly went back to taking drugs again.

Yati added, as reported by Shin Min: “My daughter is still young, I can’t get a job, and we hardly keep in touch with my husband’s family, so I can only rely on my husband as the sole breadwinner, this is why I choose to put up with this.”

"This time I think I really cannot take it anymore, but I'm scared if I divorce, I have to leave Singapore and will never get to see my children again."

Past brushes with law

In 2016, Fadhil was investigated by the ISD for sharing images of militant groups such as Hamas' Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades online.

"However, there was no indication that he was radicalised or intended to engage in armed violence. Fadhil was administered with a written warning for his social media posts," ISD added.

In January 2020, Fadhil was arrested for approaching the Imam at the Al-Mawaddah mosque in Buangkok with a knife.

Fadhil's attack was not found to have been terrorism-related after joint investigations by the ISD and police.

ISD said Fadhil was found to have consumed a large number of pills containing dextromethorphan, which contributed to his behaviour.

He was sentenced to nine months and two weeks' imprisonment and was subsequently released in July 2020 after his sentence was backdated, ISD added.

Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, can be purchased over-the-counter as a medicine.

Fadhil was referred for religious counselling after this second incident as a matter of precaution, the department added, despite him being assessed to be not radicalised.

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