|
Continued from
FrontPage of Article
Comments By DPM and Minister for Home
Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng on Recent ISA Detentions, 9 June 2007
Abdul Basheer's case reminds all Singaporeans that we cannot take
our security for granted. He is not the first self-radicalised
Singaporean that ISD has investigated. There were several others,
whom ISD had detected and counselled in earlier stages of
radicalisation. What this shows is that the phenomenon is a very
real one, and that Singapore, like other countries, is not immune to
the threat.
2 We must not let Abdul Basheer's case, or the detention of another
4 JI members, affect the current racial and religious harmony in
Singapore. This security operation is not about the Muslim community
which knows the importance of harmony and peace, but about
individuals who stray onto the wrong path to become terrorists. Let
us be very clear about this and not, as a result of these ISA
detentions, cause us to have mutual suspicions of each other.
3 Terrorism is a national issue, that all Singaporeans - Muslims and
non-Muslims alike - must work together to address. Our Muslim
organisations and leaders have undertaken many initiatives in the
last few years to counter radical ideology. They would intensify
their efforts to reach out to vulnerable segments of the community,
e.g the young, to explain the falsities of the radical ideology. We
should also be alert to what our children are learning from the
Internet or from unregistered and dubious religious teachers. We
should guide them to the right sources of religious knowledge.
4. Still, all Singaporeans must continue to be vigilant and watch
out for extremists in our society. The family, close friends, and
even teachers are best positioned to detect anyone who strays into
the wrong path and correct them. They should also report such cases
to the Police for action.
We will deal firmly with those who participate in foreign
terror activities - in or outside Singapore
5 There are a handful of Singaporeans who questioned the need to
detain Abdul Basheer because he has not actually engaged in
terrorist activities, and hence "from a legal perspective, he is
innocent". They hold the view that Basheer "wasn't trying to target
Singapore but trying to go overseas to take up his cause. That means
there is no real threat to Singapore".
6 Let me say categorically to such people that this sort of thinking
is very wrong and very dangerous. Many militants in Asia, the Middle
East and the West, had in earlier years gone overseas to conduct
militant jihad in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. When they
subsequently returned to their home countries, armed with knowledge
and skills of terror, and a network of fellow militants, they
conducted terrorist activities in their home countries. Many
terrorists who carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia, were returnees
from fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Singapore, many JI members
in earlier years went to Mindanao in the Philippines, Afghanistan
and Ambon in Indonesia, to participate in militant jihad and to
train. They also plotted to carry out terrorist attacks in
Singapore, as we found out in 2001. So we should not naively assume
that Singaporeans who conduct terrorist attacks overseas, are not a
threat to Singapore. How can we say that it is somehow "OK" if a
Singaporean kills or plans to kill others in terrorist acts abroad,
so long as those who die are not Singaporeans? How can we believe
that a person who kills others because he sees them as enemies of
his religion, will not be a security threat in Singapore? Surely a
change of geography does not change his violent and extremist
beliefs or his propensity to resort to terrorist violence to pursue
these beliefs.
7. Any Singaporean who makes plans and takes part in violence
whether in Singapore or abroad, or gives support of any form for any
terror-related activities whether local or abroad, is a security
threat and will be dealt with firmly.
8. We have worked hard at achieving the religious harmony and
inter-communal trust we have today. The stakes for us are very high.
We must not tolerate extremism which justifies terrorist violence.
We will not tolerate terrorism in any form or under any guise. The
Government will do its utmost to keep Singaporeans safe but all
Singaporeans must practice zero tolerance for terrorism. Given the
high stakes of race and religious harmony, inaction has serious
consequences. This is why the Government will continue to take firm
action against any individual who takes part in terrorist
activities, be it in Singapore or overseas. They threaten the peace
and harmony of our society.
Source:
www.mha.gov.sg Media Release 8
Jun 2007
|
Further detentions and releases
under the Internal Security Act
All rights reserved
