“They wanted to attack Singapore with a rocket from Batam”, the spokesman told reporters.
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Indonesian police yesterday arrested six suspected militants over an Islamic State-linked plot to fire a rocket at an upmarket Singapore waterfront district from a nearby island.
The plot to fire rockets at the hub of Singapore’s commerce and tourism area was planned with the involvement of Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian now fighting for the Islamic State in Syria, Channel News Asia reported Friday.
Boy Rafli Amar says the Indonesian men were captured Friday morning on the Indonesian island, which is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of Singapore.
“But the seriousness of these threats is is getting through” to Singaporeans”, said Mr Shanmugam, as he urged Singaporeans to step forward to be trained in responding to threats and incidents, should they happen.
Amar said all the men claimed they were members of Katibah Gigih Rahmat, a little-known extremist group that helps Indonesian militants travel to Syria.
Singapore was not surprised by the arrest of the suspected militants for plotting an attack on the city-state, a minister said. “It looks like he sent funds and instructions to them”, he added, referring to the suspected mastermind of the Singapore plot who left Indonesia in 2015 to join the frontlines of Islamic State.
Marina Bay is a popular hub for global tourists, as it offers a mix of residential, commercial and hotel and entertainment options, and Marina Bay Sands is one of its most visibly striking features.
Indonesian authorities did not give details of the alleged plot, and it was not clear if those arrested had the capacity to carry out an attack.
Singapore said it was aware of the plan and security had been stepped up inland and at the city-state’s borders.
Security officials said they feared Naim and other IS leaders were now asking supporters in Indonesia and other countries to launch attacks at home, instead of being drawn to the fight in the Middle East. “Our small size increases these risks”, Shanmugam said. But the government of the wealthy island state has said repeatedly it is only a matter of time.
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There have also been signs of support for IS in Singapore.
