CNA – The easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions globally could lead to an increase in terrorist movement and activities, the Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) said yesterday, adding that the terrorist threat to the island nation remains high.
“Foreign terrorist fighters may make their way to new conflict zones and hotspots, while radicalised individuals may put into action their attack plans conceived during the pandemic,” the department said in its annual terrorism threat assessment report.
“Singapore continues to be featured on terrorist propaganda and is viewed as an attractive target for attack by both foreign terrorist groups and self-radicalised lone actors alike.”
Despite that, ISD said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack on Singapore, although it urged people to stay alert to “threats on the horizon”.
“The transnational nature of terrorism means that developments further afield, such as those in the Middle East and Afghanistan, can reverberate much closer to home,” it said.
“Extremists are adept at opportunistically exploiting such overseas conflicts to promote their radical narratives and recruit supporters by tapping on a diverse range of grievances.”
The “high” terrorist threat remains unchanged from last year’s ISD report, which highlighted self-radicalised actors influenced by extremist materials as the main domestic terrorism threat to Singapore.
Externally, ISD said terrorist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) pose a persistent threat with their ability to radicalise and inspire attacks among their followers.
“ISIS continues to pose a significant security threat globally despite its leadership and territorial losses in the core conflict zone,” ISD said, pointing to how it appointed a new leader about a month after its former figurehead died during a United States (US) raid in February.
Within Southeast Asia, ISIS affiliates are the primary driver of terrorism and pose the most immediate threat through their ability to mount ISIS-inspired attacks, ISD said.
Pro-ISIS militant factions in southern Philippines persistently engage security forces in insurgent-style armed clashes, while ISIS-aligned Jemaah Ansharut Daulah elements in Indonesia have remained active in plotting attacks, the department said.
“In the past year, the number and scale of ISIS-linked or inspired terror attacks and plots in Southeast Asia have declined, largely due to strong counter-terrorism measures and COVID-19 travel restrictions,” ISD said.
“Given that travel restrictions around the world are being lifted, this lull is likely to be temporary.”
Terrorist elements may become “more active and revisit plots that had been put on hold” as restrictions are relaxed and cross-border travel resumes.
