Foiled Batam plot targeting MBS was not the only plan to attack targets in S’pore: PM Lee

SINGAPORE — The recent plot to attack Singapore with rockets from Batam was not the only definite plan by terrorists to attack targets here, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as he revealed on Sunday (Aug 21) that the target in that Batam plot had been Marina Bay Sands.

There have been other plans to attack targets here, and the authorities have quietly acted on the information and taken precautions, said Mr Lee during his National Day Rally speech.

Other than stepping up patrols and raising protection for major events and prominent premises, some events were shifted and rescheduled because of these threats, said Mr Lee. “So when you see a patrol in the city, or some extra security in some areas, maybe we are just taking precautions, or doing a show of force as deterrence. But it could also be in response to a real threat we know about.”

Earlier this month, six men were nabbed by Indonesia’s elite counter-terrorist forces for allegedly plotting to attack Marina Bay with rockets launched from Batam. One man was later released. The suspects are allegedly part of a terror cell called Katibah GR, which is said to have links to Bahrun Naim. Bahrun has been blamed for masterminding the shopping mall bomb attack in central Jakarta earlier this year.

After news of the arrests broke, a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson said it was aware of the attack plans and had been coordinating closely with the Indonesian authorities to monitor the group’s activities and nab those involved.

Following the arrests, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced enhanced land, air and sea security measures for the National Day Parade, which he said would also apply to future key events. He also called on Singaporeans to prepare themselves to live under a prolonged threat of terrorism, which could span the next two decades or beyond.

While Singapore has been fortunate not to have been attacked so far, what will happen when an attack takes place here, Mr Lee asked on Sunday.

He pointed to two possible reactions, based on the response in other countries: People showing a collective will to stand together or reacting with distrust and suspicion.

It comes down to a collective resolve to stand with each other, said Mr Lee.

“That in turn depends on how well we prepare ourselves now, before an attack,” he said. “To build trust, to strengthen bonds, to maintain and expand our common space, so that instinctively, we feel one people.”