Singapore
SINGAPORE: A teenager in Singapore has been detained for allegedly plotting an attack inspired by the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, authorities revealed on Monday. The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Nick Lee, was reportedly radicalized through online far-right propaganda and had been using a violent video game to simulate attacks against Muslims.
According to Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD), Lee sought to carry out a mass attack similar to the one conducted by Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist who killed 51 worshippers at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019.
The ISD stated that Lee had engaged with like-minded individuals online and expressed his desire to conduct a large-scale attack against Muslims in Singapore. His plans allegedly included using homemade firearms, knives, and Molotov cocktails to target a local mosque.
Authorities further disclosed that Lee wanted to livestream his attack, mimicking Tarrant’s actions. He was said to have repeatedly watched the footage of the Christchurch massacre and even modified a violent online simulation game to role-play as Tarrant, pretending to kill Muslims at the Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch. The ISD reported that Lee had developed a deep hatred for Muslims in 2023 after consuming far-right extremist content on social media.
Lee also identified as an “East Asian supremacist,” believing in the superiority of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese ethnicities over other groups. While he had no immediate timeline for his planned attack, authorities deemed his intentions serious enough to warrant a detention order under the Internal Security Act in December. This law allows Singapore to detain individuals without trial if they are considered a security threat.
Authorities assured the public that investigations into Lee’s online contacts have not revealed any imminent threats to Singapore. However, they emphasized growing concerns over youth radicalization in the country.
A government report released in July highlighted that a significant number of self-radicalized individuals identified by security agencies were under the age of 20.
Singapore has seen a worrying trend of young people engaging with extremist ideologies. In 2023, an 18-year-old student was detained for planning a similar attack. Earlier this year, a 17-year-old was arrested for allegedly being weeks away from attacking non-Muslims with scissors. The youngest case involved a 14-year-old who was detained last year.
Singapore, a wealthy nation with a predominantly ethnic Chinese population and significant Malay Muslim and Indian minorities, has maintained a firm stance against extremism. Authorities remain vigilant against radicalization, particularly among young individuals exposed to online extremist propaganda.
