Singapore is seen as a ‘prize target’ by terrorist groups: Prime Minister Lee

Singapore is seen as a “prize target” by terrorist groups and it continues to be mentioned in their propaganda, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said, emphasising that his nation cannot afford to let its guard down against such ultra forces.
Speaking at the launch of the Religious Rehabilitation Group’s (RRG) Majulah Gallery at the Khadijah Mosque in Geylang on Wednesday, Lee said that his government is alert against terror groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS), Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah (JI) that remain active and still influence and inspire followers worldwide.
He said that since the rise of ISIS in 2015, Singapore has dealt with 49 self-radicalised individuals under the Internal Security Act.This is four times more than the number of cases from 2007 to 2014.Of these 49 individuals, 37 are Singaporeans. They include women and, worryingly, many young people, he said.Eleven are aged 20 or younger, and five of them wanted to mount attacks in Singapore.
Lee said that the Government is making every effort to neutralise the threat, and outreach to counter extremist ideologies is being increased.
“But every one of us has a role to play. Our strongest defence against terrorism is our collective vigilance,” he said.
The gallery launched by Prime Minister Lee features exhibits to raise awareness of the efforts of the RRG in combating terrorism and extremism, and propagates the message of Islam as a religion of peace, the report said.He said staying constantly alert against extremist ideologies is Singapore’s first line of defence, and urged Singaporeans to promptly report anyone who shows signs of radicalisation to the authorities.
“We must also strengthen the racial and religious harmony that we have worked so hard to preserve,” he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that terrorism and violent extremism exploit racial and religious fault lines to promote fear and hatred.
“Our diversity makes our social cohesion particularly susceptible to this threat. We must do our utmost to stay united and cohesive across the various racial and religious groups in our society,” he said.