Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Friday, May 11, that a radicalised Singaporean parking warden was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) last month.
Mohamed Faishal Mohd Razali, 27, had wanted to undertake armed violence overseas, said a report by Todayonline.
In mid-2016, he used the Internet to improve his religious knowledge, and took in the teachings of foreign preachers – including Ismail Menk and Yusuf Estes. These two preachers had been banned from entering Singapore, as they were known to preach segregationist and divisive teachings.
The radical teachings of the late radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki also influenced Faishal. Over time, he became convinced that waging armed violence was legitimate and would help redeem his sins, according to a statement by MHA.
Faishal then began preparing to undertake armed violence overseas, in places including Syria, from last year. He started searching online for a religious authority that would support him. He also mentioned his plans to his friends and family members, who tried to dissuade him, but to no avail.
Someone then alerted the authorities about his plans, said the MHA without elaborating.
Faishal's detention was a reminder that the threat of terrorism and self-radicalisation through online extremist propaganda remains alive, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).