7 foreign domestic workers radicalised through Internet

SINGAPORE — Seven foreign domestic workers in Singapore were found to have been radicalised online in the past two years, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam revealed.

“They did not have plans to carry out acts of violence in Singapore at the time they were investigated. However, their interactions with others showed that they had bought into radical ideologies and were on a dangerous path,” he said in a written reply to parliamentary questions posed by Member of Parliament (Marine Parade GRC) Fatimah Lateef.

The workers were repatriated to their home countries because their presence in Singapore posed a security concern, Mr Shanmugam said.

On the ministry’s planned future interventions, he said that security agencies would continue to monitor the situation closely and would investigate individuals who are suspected of being radicalised, whether they are foreigners or residents.

“As part of the global counter-terrorism effort, our agencies actively share intelligence with foreign security partners to tackle this transnational threat,” he added.

Mr Shanmugam stressed that the public must also play a part in protecting Singapore against terrorism threats and should promptly alert the authorities if they notice signs that someone is becoming radicalised.