Parents urged to report their children if they show signs of radicalisation

Experts highlight key role parents play in helping radicalised youth get proper support

- Nadine Chua and David Sun

It is natural for youth in Singapore to be affected by global events, like the Israel-Hamas war, which can evoke strong emotions.

If they are not careful, finding information about them in the wrong places can lead them down the path of radicalisation.

But with the right support from family and the community, young people can safely learn about such global conflicts, and avoid thinking that the only way to deal with such situations is through violence, said community groups and experts.

A 14-year-old Secondary 3 student recently became the youngest person to be issued a restriction order under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Singapore.

He had been self-radicalised after researching the Israel-Hamas war, which started on Oct 7, 2023, and has left over 40,000 dead.

The teen had planned on carrying out attacks in Singapore during festivals like Chinese New Year, Christmas and Deepavali, and tried to recruit his friends but failed.

On July 15, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said the boy was issued a restriction order in June.

ISD added that his parents had not thought intervention and assistance were necessary, even though they had noticed him expressing increasingly segregationist beliefs.

It said that as part of the boy’s rehabilitation programme, he will undergo religious counselling by the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) to address his religious misperceptions.

Ustaz Mohamed Ali, co-chairman of the RRG, said parents have a very important role to play in such situations.

“Parents are in a position to monitor the online activities of their children, and can detect suspicious behaviours and changes in thinking.

“But in order to do this, parents also need to be guided on the telltale signs of radicalisation,” he added.