SINGAPORE, April 9 — Singapore has warned that the ongoing conflict in West Asia is heightening global security risks, including domestically, amid rising extremist threats and online radicalisation.
In a written response to a parliamentary question, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said the involvement of state actors, proxies and militant networks has increased the risk of spillover incidents beyond the region.
“The conflict in West Asia also serves as a rallying point for extremist narratives.
“Terrorist groups and their affiliates have capitalised on the conflict to disseminate online propaganda justifying violence and inciting terrorist attacks,” he said on Wednesday.
According to Shanmugam, extremist narratives have also increased the risk of self-radicalisation, particularly in cyberspace.
“Since the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, the Internal Security Department (ISD) has detained or issued restriction orders to six Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act, whose radicalisation was triggered or accelerated by the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” he added. — Bernama
