Radicalisation among S'pore youths remains a pressing concern: ISD

Radicalisation among youths under 21 years of age remains a pressing concern towards Singapore’s security, according to the Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report 2026 by the Internal Security Department (ISD) published on Sep. 10.

The number of youth Internal Security Act (ISA) cases has almost quadrupled in the past five years.

There were four such cases involving youths between 2017 and 2021, and 15 since 2022.

Six of the eight Singaporeans detained or issued restriction orders under the ISA since July 2025 were youths under 21.

High terrorism threat

The report attributed ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iran War, to having heightened the threat of attacks beyond the conflict zones and serving as triggers for radicalisation.

Terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), continue to recruit supporters online and inspire attacks worldwide.

The potential return of foreign terrorist fighters to Southeast Asia also heightens the terrorism threat to the region.

Islamist extremism persists in Southeast Asia, while far-right and nihilistic violent extremist narratives are also gaining traction and have featured in several recent attacks, the report stated.

The terrorism threat to Singapore remains high, with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East elevating the terrorism threat worldwide and contributing to a volatile global security environment.

Even though there is no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore, the country and its interests remain an attractive target for terrorist elements, ISD said.

This is due to Singapore's perceived friendly ties with Western nations, including the United States and Israel, as well as the presence of iconic landmarks in the country, plus its status as a secular and multicultural society, ISD added.

Youth threat

Three youths aged between 14 and 19 planned to conduct local attacks and were close to executing them.

They had identified available weapons for their intended attacks.

A 14-year-old was only a few weeks away from carrying out a planned attack in school, while another youth had attempted to conduct cyberattacks.

Online platforms, including social media and games, were attributed to accelerating radicalisation, especially among youths, through exposure to violent extremist content.

Online games may also allow for simulation of terrorist attacks and mass shootings.

Repeated exposure can normalise attitudes towards violence, and violent fantasies may develop into a desire to enact real-world violence over time.

ISA cases since July 2025

Among the eight Singaporean ISA cases, one was politically motivated, involving taking up arms for Turkiye against Greece.

Seven of them were self-radicalised by a diverse range of extremist influences.

Five were ISIS supporters.

Three of their radicalisation were triggered or accelerated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

CoVE

Singapore also saw its first three cases of Composite Violent Extremism (CoVE), which were all youths under 21.

CoVE refers to a form of violent extremism where individuals subscribe to multiple, and sometimes conflicting, extremist ideologies, rather than adhering to a single, coherent or unified worldview.

This results in a personalised composite belief system, which the individual uses to justify violence.

The youths involved in the CoVE cases subscribed to multiple extremist ideologies, including far-right extremism, far-left extremism, anti-Semitism, incel ideologies, accelerationism and racial supremacy.

Individuals radicalised by CoVE may have a shallow understanding of the ideologies they adopt, and their beliefs can shift over time.

In some cases, their attraction to certain extremist beliefs or movements may also stem from a desire to appear “edgy” or “cool”, or from an attraction to the niche aesthetics of such movements, rather than a deep commitment to their underlying ideology or cause.

What can be done?

ISD said family members, friends and the community are key in reporting early signs of radicalisation.

They advised members of the public to be aware of common signs of radicalisation and stay vigilant, including among people close to them.

The public can report any suspicious terrorist activities or signs of radicalisation early to ISD at 1800-2626-473.

The identity of informants will be kept confidential.

No action will be taken if the person reported is not found to be radicalised or to pose a security threat.

If the person is in the early stage of radicalisation, they may be referred for counselling or other interventions, without the need to be dealt with under the ISA.