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Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD
Find out what's new on ST website and app. In its terrorism report on July 29, the Internal Security Department said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore. SINGAPORE – A volatile global landscape arising from developments like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to drive the high terrorism threat in Singapore, said the Internal Security Department (ISD). It released its annual report on terrorism on July 29, saying terrorist organisations have exploited situations like the one in Gaza to spread their propaganda, using them to reinforce their violent narratives. ISD said ISIS and Al-Qaeda have incited attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, and those of countries seen as supporting Israel. This has corresponded with an increase in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide and in Islamophobia overseas, it added. ISD said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore. But the country continues to be viewed as an attractive target by terrorists because of its friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, and its status as a secular and multicultural state. Since its last report in July 2024 , ISD has dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans: six males and two females aged 15 to 56. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia Meeting between Cambodian-Thai militaries postponed, as acting Thai PM says border calm Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Business SIA shares tumble after 59% first-quarter profit slide Singapore Motorcyclist hurt after car crashes into bollard next to Clementi coffee shop Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach Four of them had been influenced by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people. Of the other four cases, two were radicalised by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies and two by violent far-right extremism. ISD warned that ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world's largest Islamist terrorist organisations. It has cash reserves of around $12.9 million and has between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria. The department added that far-right extremism ideologies has gained ground in Singapore , especially among the youth. Since 2020, there have been four youths who have been dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for subscribing to such ideologies. Two of them, aged 18 and 17, had been self-radicalised separately after becoming inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. The shooter, Brenton Tarrant, murdered 51 Muslims and livestreamed the killings. Both teens idolised Tarrant and identified as East Asian supremacists, believing in the superiority of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnicities. The 17-year-old had identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and planned to kill at least 100 Muslims as they were leaving after Friday prayers. He had been influenced by anti-Semitic content online and fantasised about killing Jews, but did not have any concrete attack plans. An increasing variety of online platforms used by youth in self-radicalisation cases here is also of concern, said ISD. It added that self-radicalisation remains a key domestic terrorism threat, with 60 self-radicalised people issued orders under the ISA since 2015. Of these, 48 were Singaporeans. Singapore adopts a whole-of-society approach to counter extremism, combining preventive measures such as public outreach with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. ISD works with government agencies and grassroots and community partners to conduct outreach across different segments of society, to raise public awareness on the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation. It stressed the importance of knowing how to spot signs of radicalisation and the need to report at-risk individuals early . Some of these signs include expressing support for terrorist groups online, frequent surfing of radical websites and making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities. ISD said public vigilance is critical to combating the terrorism threat, and early reporting enables the person to receive timely help. This maximises the chances of the individual's successful rehabilitation before he or she becomes more deeply rooted in radical ideologies. Since 2002, ISD has issued ISA orders against 148 Singaporeans for terrorism-related conduct. Of these, 102 were issued orders of detention, while 46 were issued restriction orders. Of those detained, about four out of five detainees had made good progress in their rehabilitation, leading to 85 of them being released. Of those issued with restriction orders, 39 have had their orders lapse. ISD said most of these Singaporeans have found stable jobs since their release. It said countering terrorism is everyone's responsibility. 'The ever-evolving threat of terrorism is real and demands unwavering vigilance, cooperation and resilience from every sector of society,' said ISD. It added that 'every action taken, every report made and every initiative launched' bring Singapore one step closer to a safer, more united nation. Members of the public are encouraged to take part in the SGSecure movement and learn how to spot suspicious behaviours and signs of radicalisation, and how to respond if caught in a terror attack.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The Internal Security Department said it is seeing an emerging trend of evolving technologies like AI and 3D printing being found in youth self-radicalisation cases in Singapore. SINGAPORE – Before 2015, it used to take an average of 24 months for someone in Singapore to be self-radicalised. With social media, cases between 2021 and 2025 took an average of just 12 months, said the Internal Security Department (ISD) in its annual report on terrorism released on July 29. It added that innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) risk complicating the terrorist threat both globally and locally. In two cases here, AI chatbots were used for terrorism-related activities. ISD's investigations found that many self-radicalised Singaporeans had unintentionally stumbled upon extremist materials online, as social media algorithms recommended similar content to what they had recently viewed. Some of this was radical content and resulted in many recent cases taking only a few months to be self-radicalised, said ISD. It cited a case involving a 15-year-old girl here who was issued a restriction order in February. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia Meeting between Cambodian-Thai militaries postponed, as acting Thai PM says border calm Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Business SIA shares tumble after 59% first-quarter profit slide Singapore Motorcyclist hurt after car crashes into bollard next to Clementi coffee shop Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach Her radicalisation took mere weeks. She had seen ISIS propaganda online in June 2023, pledged allegiance to the terrorist group a month later and wanted to marry an ISIS fighter . She started at least eight online relationships with supporters of ISIS and was the first female teen to be dealt with under the Internal Security Act. The report highlighted the role of social media and online platforms like Telegram, Reddit, Discord, Roblox and Bitchute, with extremist groups using memes and slang to promote their propaganda. ISD said it has seen an increasing variety of such platforms being featured in cases of self-radicalised individuals here, especially in instances involving youth. Technology featured prominently in two recent cases involving youth. One was an ISIS supporter, while the other was a supporter of far-right extremism (FRE). Both were self-radicalised 17-year-olds who turned to AI chatbots for their terrorism-related activities. ISD said it is seeing an emerging trend of evolving technologies like AI and 3D printing being found in youth self-radicalisation cases here. The ISIS supporter who was detained in September 2024 had used an AI chatbot to generate a bai'ah, or oath of allegiance, to ISIS. After taking the pledge, he had planned to kill non-Muslims in Tampines during the September school holidays. He also used the AI chatbot to generate a declaration of armed jihad against non-Muslims to inspire other Muslims in Singapore to engage in armed violence. The other teen, who was an FRE supporter detained in March, had been inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. He searched for instructions on an AI chatbot about producing ammunition and considered 3D-printing his own firearms to carry out attacks here. He identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and had planned to kill at least 100 Muslims as they were leaving after Friday prayers. ISD said even though there is no indication that such evolving technologies have been used in any terrorist attack plot in Singapore, it is expected that terrorists will exploit them given how easily accessible such tools are. ISD said there is a need for increased cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially with technology and social media companies, to create a safer online environment. It noted that technology companies have increased efforts to prevent and disrupt terrorists' abuse of their platforms and services, such as by regulating and removing harmful content on social media platforms. But it added: 'However, technology companies could continue to explore further efforts in this area, including collaboration with religious and community organisations, to guide users in navigating the digital space and positively influence the online discourse.'
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Los Angeles fires, US storms dominate insurance losses in first half of 2025.
People attempt to save a neighboring home from catching fire as a home burns during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Jan 8. SINGAPORE – The first half of 2025 is among the most costly periods for the insurance industry, with disasters in the US, including wildfires in Los Angeles in January, dominating natural disaster losses across the planet, Munich Re said on July 29. The global re-insurer said the first six months' total losses from natural disasters were about US$131 billion (S$168 billion), of which US$80 billion was insured – the second highest of any half-year period since 1980, according to the company's records. About half of this, or US$40 billion, was due to the record wildfires that swept across parts of Los Angeles. 'Climate change is shifting more and more the probabilities of extreme weather,' said Munich Re chief climate scientist Tobias Grimm. He said the trend from climate change-linked losses was increasing. The good news was that much more could be done to reduce the risks and costs to insurance companies and their customers. Weather disasters caused 88 per cent of overall losses and 98 per cent of insured losses during the first half of the year, while earthquakes accounted for 12 per cent and 2 per cent respectively, Munich Re said. Losses from severe storms, including tornadoes, in the US totalled US$34 billion in the first six months of 2025, with about US$26 billion of this being insured. Losses in the Asia-Pacific and Africa totalled around US$29 billion, of which about US$5 billion was insured. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia Meeting between Cambodian-Thai militaries postponed, as acting Thai PM says border calm Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Business SIA shares tumble after 59% first-quarter profit slide Singapore Motorcyclist hurt after car crashes into bollard next to Clementi coffee shop Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach The deadliest non-climate linked disaster was the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar on March 28 that killed 4,500 people. It caused US$12 billion in damage but only a small percentage of this was insured. A May 2025 report by the Geneva Association, a global association of insurance companies, said annual insured losses have exceeded US$100 billion annually for every year since 2020 and are expected to surpass US$200 billion in 2025. In 2024, they were about US$140 billion. The risks from wildfires were growing not only in their intensity and size but also affecting areas that were less vulnerable before, such as the recent wildfires in South Korea, said Mr Grimm. Thunderstorms, flash floods and tropical storms were also growing in intensity and affecting more people and places and costing insurers more. In the United States, the National Weather Service has already issued more than 3,600 flash flood warnings across the nation in 2025, and the number could soon exceed its yearly average of around 4,000 flash flood warnings, said Jeffrey Basara, Professor of Meteorology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, in The Conversation news site on July 24. A July 4 flash flood in Texas Hill Country killed nearly 140 people, including more than two dozen children. Mr Grimm told The Straits Times that another area of growing concern is the risk from rock falls and glacial lake outbursts, pointing to the glacier collapse on May 28 in the Swiss Alps, which triggered a massive landslide that destroyed the village of Blatten. He said the risk of similar events is growing as a warming planet speeds up the melting of glaciers in mountain areas, including the Himalayas. This can also cause the creation of glacial lakes that fill up quickly behind a dam caused by a rockfall. When the dam bursts, a deadly torrent of mud and rock wipes out everything in its path. The increasing impacts of extreme weather is driving up insurance costs or leading to no coverage at all in some places, triggering falling property prices and banks denying mortgage approvals. 'For example, in Australia, 15 per cent of properties face affordability stress, while in some parts of the US and Canada, rising risks and regulatory pressures to cap premiums have forced insurers to limit or cease coverage for some perils,' the Geneva Association said. In large parts of Asia, the problem is lack of coverage altogether because it was not offered or was too costly, with repeat disasters entrenching poverty. One of the key reasons insurance losses have risen over the years is because of the growing wealth and population of nations and the increasing size and density of cities. In other words, more assets and more people placed in the way of floods, storms and wildfires. Add in the rising impacts of climate change and this raises the chances of deadly and costly disasters. In Los Angeles, some homes were in forested areas or canyons highly prone to wildfires. Elsewhere, cities have expanded on to flood plains or coastal areas prone to storm damage. Plenty can be done to reduce the risks. Key is getting out of harm's way. 'To reduce future exposure, new building development should not be allowed in high-risk areas,' said Munich Re management board member Thomas Blunck in a statement accompanying the first-half loss report. Other steps include better building codes, early warning systems, strengthening existing infrastructure and building new infrastructure that can better withstand worsening floods, storms and fires, as well as better understanding of evolving climate risks by the public, governments and local councils. 'Embedding climate risks in all aspects of the property markets could help to make these markets more sustainable in the long run. A lot more can be done in this regard,' Mr Grimm said.
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Man steals durians from stall in Selangor –not once, but twice
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The seller posted a video of the alleged incident on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu on July 28. In a literal case of daylight robbery, a durian seller in Malaysia was left astonished when a man walked up and allegedly took away a sackful of durians not once, but twice. The vendor, who sells the thorny fruit from a stall in the suburb of Puchong in Selangor, said the incident happened on the evening of July 27. The seller posted a video of the alleged incident on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu on July 28. In it, a man, wearing a dark singlet and shorts, is seen taking the thorny fruits, said to be of a variant worth RM65 (S$19.60) per kilogram, and putting them in a white gunny sack. According to Sin Chew Daily, the durians are believed to be the Musang King variants, the most expensive at the stall. The man then calmly walked off and left in a motorcycle, with the sack of durians i n front of him. According to the vendor, the same man returned later to repeat the deed. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thirty dead, over 80,000 evacuated, following heavy rain in Beijing Asia Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Business SIA shares tumble 6.8% after first-quarter profit slide Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach World Trump says many are starving in Gaza, vows to set up food centres Business BYD tops Singapore car sales in first half of 2025 with almost one-fifth of the market Singapore ST Explains: What we know about the Tanjong Katong sinkhole so far 'I have been doing business for so long and have never encountered such a thing. It's truly disheartening,' the seller posted on the video and urged other durian sellers to remain vigilant. 'Luckily, no one was hurt,' the vendor said, adding that a police report had been lodged. 'But seeing half the stall emptied like that… I was shaken.' Some netizens asked the vendor why he took the video instead of trying to stop the man. In reply, the seller said he took the footage as evidence for the police. The seller also claimed that the man seemed to have a weapon, possibly a knife, with him. 'I am going to install a CCTV after this,' the vendor said.
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Woman motorcyclist hurt after car crashes into bollard next to Clementi coffee shop
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A photo of the aftermath of the accident appears to show it happened at a zebra crossing between Block 451 and Block 449. SINGAPORE - An 83-year-old female driver is assisting with police investigations after an accident involving two cars and a motorcycle near a coffee shop in the Clementi t own centre on July 28 . A 26-year-old female motorcyclist was taken to National University Hospital while conscious , said the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The authorities said they were alerted to the accident at Block 449 Clementi Avenue 3 at around 6.35pm on July 28 . A photo of the aftermath of the accident appears to show it happened at a zebra crossing between Block 451 and Block 449 . The photo, posted on Facebook page SGRV Front Man, shows a beige multi-purpose vehicle at rest diagonally on the zebra crossing, against the direction of traffic and facing the coffee shop . A motorcycle can be seen toppled on the ground beside the bollards at the zebra crossing. A number of onlookers can also be seen having gathered in the photo. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thirty dead, over 80,000 evacuated, following heavy rain in Beijing Asia Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Business SIA shares tumble 6.8% after first-quarter profit slide Sport World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro among list of top names for Singapore football coach World Trump says many are starving in Gaza, vows to set up food centres Business BYD tops Singapore car sales in first half of 2025 with almost one-fifth of the market Singapore ST Explains: What we know about the Tanjong Katong sinkhole so far A photo uploaded in the comment section of the Facebook post appears to show the damaged car and bollard, and debris on the ground. Police investigations are ongoing.
