3 Singaporean teenagers, who were self-radicalised by violent extremist ideologies and planned to carry out separate attacks here, have been detained under the Internal Security Act.
One of them was a 14-year-old student who made plans to carry out a mass stabbing at his secondary school during the June holidays. https://str.sg/ttLn
Full Details: 3 Self-Radicalised Singapore Teens Detained Under ISA (July 27, 2026)
Three Singaporean teenagers aged 14, 15 and 19 — all self-radicalised online — were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for plotting separate violent extremist attacks inspired by ISIS, mass shooters and far-right ideologies, the Internal Security Department (ISD) announced on July 27, 2026 .
🔴 Case 1: 14-Year-Old Secondary 2 Student – School Mass Stabbing Plot
Arrested: May 2026, one month before intended attack
Target: His own secondary school; non-Muslim teachers and students
Planned date: June 2026 school holidays (fewer staff on campus for CCA sessions)
Radicalisation Path
- Began at age 12 via Roblox games featuring recreations of the 1999 Columbine shooting; later consumed gore, mass shooting footage, and ISIS propaganda recommended by algorithms .
- Identified with mass shooters as victims of bullying; idolised Omar Mateen (2016 Orlando nightclub attacker) for his high death toll and shared experience of being bullied .
- Adopted ISIS ideology, viewed killing LGBTQ people as “justifiable”, and wanted to travel to Syria to join ISIS but lacked funds .
- Blamed bullying and academic stress for his grievances; saw violence as retaliation and “jihad” .
Attack Plan & Materials
- Wrote a 21-page manifesto titled A Call to Action, decorated with neo-Nazi/far-right symbols, glorifying shooters, and urging other bullied youth to use violence .
- First considered firearms (abandoned due to Singapore’s strict laws), then homemade bombs (dropped for cost/lack of space), finally chose kitchen knife and penknife from home .
- Planned to livestream the stabbing, release the manifesto beforehand, then kill himself to “die a martyr” .
- Shared ISIS videos with classmates; none were radicalised. A school staff member alerted authorities, preventing the attack .
🟠 Case 2: 19-Year-Old Tertiary Student Tan Jun Jie – Attacks on SAF & LGBTQ Students
Arrested: April 2026; detained in May 2026
Targets: SAF personnel at Sembawang Air Base entrance; LGBTQ students at his tertiary institution; Muslim organisation websites
Radicalisation Path
- Converted to Islam in 2022 via social media; exposed to rigid, fundamentalist teachings and pro-ISIS content online .
- By Jan 2026, considered himself an ISIS member, took an oath of allegiance, and said he would obey any ISIS order to attack in Singapore .
Planned Actions
- Saw SAF personnel as “enemy combatants” serving a “non-believer government”; targeted LGBTQ students as “un-Islamic” .
- Attempted DDoS cyberattacks on websites of Muslim groups he deemed “deviant” .
- Reported by acquaintances who became alarmed by his extremist views .
🟡 Case 3: 15-Year-Old Secondary 4 Student – Pressure-Cooker Bomb Plot
Ideology: Supported ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis; aimed to establish an Islamic caliphate in Southeast Asia through violence .
Plans & Preparation
- Actively researched how to build pressure-cooker bombs; visualised a large-scale attack in a crowded urban area with mass civilian casualties .
- Had not set a specific date, location or target yet, but was determined to carry out violence to advance ISIS’ cause .
- Family and friends knew of his extremist views but did not report him to authorities .
⚠️ Broader Findings & Official Responses
Youth Radicalisation Trends
- Over half of the 23 youths dealt with under the ISA in the past decade planned attacks inside Singapore; radicalised youth are getting younger .
- All three shared extremist content with peers/family; weapons chosen were easily accessible (knives, household items) .
Measures Taken
- MHA issued orders to block/remove terrorism-linked content: 1 disabling direction for an online service, 2 access-blocking directions for ISPs, targeting material that glorifies ISIS, shooters and violence — directly linked to past radicalisation cases .
- Senior Minister Shanmugam: “ISD must get it right every single time; the attacker only needs to succeed once. We cannot block everything online — parents, schools and the public must stay vigilant.”
- Education Minister Desmond Lee: Prevention, education and community alertness are key to keeping schools and Singapore safe .
How to Help
If you spot signs of radicalisation, contact ISD at 1800-2626-473.