Singapore remains on alert over Islamist attacks
The foiled plot by Indonesian terror suspects to launch a rocket from the island of Batam to Marina Bay in Singapore was only the “nature of things to come”, the city state’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam said on August 6. The radicals who target Singapore “are serious about planning an attack and will look for different ways to do so,” he added.
Indonesia’s counter-terrorism police on August 5 arrested six suspected militants who were allegedly planning to launch a rocket attack on Singapore’s Marina Bay waterfront from nearby Batam island in Indonesia. Some reports suggest that the rocket attack was planned to take place on September 18, the day of this year’s Formula 1 race in Singapore.
“[The threat] is not going to go away, and we need to get it right, every single time. The terrorists only need to get it right once to make a statement,” the minister said.
He added that, from time to time, Singapore gets reports and intelligence from regional partners about plans to attack and infiltrate Singapore, but did not elaborate. Different types of plans are being thought of and hatched, he said, adding there are places not far from Singapore “where people can come together and plan to attack us”.
Cooperation between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to combat terrorism was good, Shanmugam said, and will continue. More Singaporeans are also aware of the risks of an attack, and they are signing up for emergency preparedness workshops – where they are trained in first aid and behavioural skills in case of an attack – in growing numbers.
[caption id="attachment_28719" align="alignleft" width="300"] Simulated terror drill in Singapore. (Photo: Ngau Kai Yan)[/caption] The foiled plot by Indonesian terror suspects to launch a rocket from the island of Batam to Marina Bay in Singapore was only the "nature of things to come", the city state's Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam said on August 6. The radicals who target Singapore "are serious about planning an attack and will look for different ways to do so," he added. Indonesia’s counter-terrorism police on August 5 arrested six suspected militants who were allegedly planning to launch a rocket attack on Singapore’s...
The foiled plot by Indonesian terror suspects to launch a rocket from the island of Batam to Marina Bay in Singapore was only the “nature of things to come”, the city state’s Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam said on August 6. The radicals who target Singapore “are serious about planning an attack and will look for different ways to do so,” he added.
Indonesia’s counter-terrorism police on August 5 arrested six suspected militants who were allegedly planning to launch a rocket attack on Singapore’s Marina Bay waterfront from nearby Batam island in Indonesia. Some reports suggest that the rocket attack was planned to take place on September 18, the day of this year’s Formula 1 race in Singapore.
“[The threat] is not going to go away, and we need to get it right, every single time. The terrorists only need to get it right once to make a statement,” the minister said.
He added that, from time to time, Singapore gets reports and intelligence from regional partners about plans to attack and infiltrate Singapore, but did not elaborate. Different types of plans are being thought of and hatched, he said, adding there are places not far from Singapore “where people can come together and plan to attack us”.
Cooperation between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to combat terrorism was good, Shanmugam said, and will continue. More Singaporeans are also aware of the risks of an attack, and they are signing up for emergency preparedness workshops – where they are trained in first aid and behavioural skills in case of an attack – in growing numbers.
