3 Singaporean Men Detained Under ISA After Becoming Self-Radicalised

They Were Affected by Israel-Hamas Conflict and Wanted to Join Armed Militant Groups

- David Sun

One was a 41-year-old director of a digital marketing company. Another was a 21-year-old lift mechanic, and the third was a 44-year-old security guard.

All three Singaporean men were arrested by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in October 2024, a year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

They were affected by the conflict and had been separately self-radicalised online, becoming determined to fight against Israel.

On Jan 9, the ISD said the men were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in November 2024, as they were readying themselves to travel to the Middle East.

They had practised how to kill, and had either gone to or planned to visit shooting ranges in Thailand and Indonesia to train using firearms.

One of them was willing to carry out attacks in Singapore.

The ISD identified the three men as Muhammad Indra Aqmal Effendy, 21; Mohamad Latiff Rahim, 41; and Nurisham Yusoff, 44.

"These three cases highlight how overseas conflicts can have an impact on Singapore's security," ISD said, noting that since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, it has dealt with at least five Singaporeans under the ISA whose radicalisation was either triggered or accelerated by the conflict.

"Even though it has been more than a year since the start of the conflict, extremist narratives on it, as well as on the growing strife in the Middle East, have not abated," ISD added.

The Gaza health authorities said nearly 46,000 Gazans have been killed, while Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023 killed 1,200 people, with more than 250 hostages taken.

Indra and Nurisham planned to fight for Hamas in Gaza, while Latiff planned to fight for Iran-linked militant groups in the Middle East.

MECHANIC WANTED TO FIGHT FOR HAMAS

Following the Oct 7 attack, Indra, a lift mechanic, consumed online content that showed Palestinian civilians killed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).