'Salad bar,’ youth extremism on the rise; S'poreans must be 'true friends' to defend loved ones from radicalisation

In a departure from the past two decades, the phenomenon of "salad bar" extremism — extremism that does not belong to a single coherent ideology — is now on the rise in Singapore.

At the same time, extremist narratives are reaching younger and younger audiences, in part thanks to to social media and online games.

With these two developments, rehabilitation efforts must also evolve, and the community is a key part of this, said Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong.

He was speaking at a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appreciation lunch on Sep. 19.

Younger and faster

With online platforms such as social media and games, extremist narratives can reach vulnerable young people very quickly.

As such, youths are getting radicalised younger, and at a faster rate, Tong said.

Thanks to social media algorithms, young people can end up trapped in an ideological echo chamber that reinforces certain sentiments.

There is also repeated exposure to gore and violent content that normalises violent behaviour and primes youths for radicalisation.

'Salad bar' extremism

In the past, radicalisation generally followed a clear ideological pathway: Islamic extremism, far-right extremism.

This allowed for a relatively clear understanding of how the individual had become radicalised, and as such how they could be rehabilitated.

However, individuals are increasingly being radicalised in a "salad bar" manner — meaning, rather than subscribing to a single coherent ideology, they draw selectively from multiple extremist ideologies.

An example is a 14-year-old who was detained by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in early 2026.

He had become radicalised by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) content, while simultaneously supporting Hitler and far-right white supremacist ideas.

The boy eventually made preparations to conduct a stabbing in his school, but was detained before he could do so.

Dealing with warning signs

Tong said that while these ideas may be contradictory, shallow, inconsistent, or disorganised, they all point towards violence as a necessary outcome.

It is thus important to focus on broader behavioural changes, rather than whether someone follows a particular radical preacher, terrorist group, or extremist ideology.

"For example, growing hostility towards others, an increasing fascination with violence, withdrawal into online communities where extreme views are constantly being reinforced. These are often the warning signs that matter the most," he added.

Tong also said that rehabilitation is not a "single point" intervention, but requires a community effort comprising psychologists, religious counsellors, family support, school support, friends, educators, and more.

"Every Singaporean can be a true friend — the person who helps their friend, their colleague, or their classmate or family member who shows signs of radicalisation, and helps them quickly to get the right support that they need."

Not a betrayal

Tong emphasised that radicalisation often doesn't begin with violent intentions.

Rather, it may begin with questions about the environment or global events, a search for identity or relatability, or a deep desire to want to belong.

These people may take to the Internet with the simple goal of seeking answers to their questions, but inadvertently end up immersed in violent extremist content.

As such, "we need to supply answers, we need to be there... not just to give the answers but to create the environment where they can find answers from trusted sources".

The minister added that reporting a loved one who shows signs of radicalisation is not a betrayal, but a way to help their loved ones as effectively as possible.

"In many cases, you might well be the most powerful form of prevention early and upstream," he said.