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Buangkok sword incident: Suspect probed by ISD in 2016, 2020; no terror links found

SINGAPORE — The man who was caught on video brandishing a sword on Monday (March 14) was twice investigated by the Internal Security Department (ISD) before, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

A screenshot from a video of Fadhil Yusop being apprehended by police officers on March 14, 2022.
A screenshot from a video of Fadhil Yusop being apprehended by police officers on March 14, 2022.
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  • Fadhil Yusop, 37, who was caught on video using a sword in Buangkok was twice investigated by ISD before
  • The Singaporean was first under probe in 2016 for sharing images of militant groups
  • ISD investigated him again in January 2020, after his arrest for approaching a Sengkang mosque leader with a knife

SINGAPORE — The man who was caught on video brandishing a sword on Monday (March 14) was twice investigated by the Internal Security Department (ISD) before, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Singaporean Fadhil Yusop, 37, was first probed by ISD in 2016 for sharing online images of militant groups such as Palestinian Sunni-Islamic group Hamas' military wing Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades.

"However, there was no indication that he was radicalised or intended to engage in armed violence," ISD said, adding that he was given a written warning.

Fadhil came under investigations by ISD again in January 2020, after the police arrested him for approaching an imam at Masjid Al-Mawaddah mosque in Sengkang with a knife.

ISD said that joint investigations with the police at the time did not reveal that the attack was terrorism-related or that he was radicalised.

"Fadhil was found to have consumed a large number of pills containing dextromethorphan, which contributed to his behaviour," it said.

Dextromethorphan is commonly used to treat a cough. 

He was jailed for nine months and two weeks and then released in July 2020 after his sentence was backdated. As a precaution, he was referred for religious counselling after the incident.

"ISD will continue to work with the police to investigate (Fadhil's) latest attack and will provide an update in due course", it added.

The police said on Monday that it responded to calls on an alleged attack near Buangkok Square shopping centre at around 1.55pm.

The police told TODAY that aside from damaging at least three cars outside the mall, the man had allegedly swung his sword towards members of the public.

He was arrested by the police after he was detained by members of the public.

"The man had allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' ((Arabic for 'God is the greatest') during the incident," ISD said.

The man will be charged on Wednesday with voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.

The police added that one male member of the public suffered two superficial slash wounds on his left arm and was taken to a hospital conscious and another man suffered abrasions on his left knee.

Preliminary investigations by the police found that Fadhil had allegedly consumed some unknown pills before leaving his home with the sword.

They also said that the incident did not appear to be an act of terror, a point reiterated by ISD, which said that Fadhil is believed to have acted alone.

PAST CONVICTION

TODAY previously reported in 2020 that Fadhil, a gravedigger, had slashed a jogger on the forearm and chased a cyclist in January that year.

He later entered the main prayer hall of Masjid Al-Mawaddah in Sengkang, shouted “assalamualaikum” (Arabic for “peace be upon you”) before threatening a religious officer with a 22cm-long knife. 

A psychiatrist’s report stated that Fadhil had taken a large number of cough suppressant pills. He had also been diagnosed in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) with substance use disorder.

In mitigation, he told the court that he regretted his actions. 

“I over-consumed my cough mixture as it was my habit to do so,” he said, adding that he was his family’s sole breadwinner and that his wife is pregnant with their fourth child.

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ISD Buangkok sword attack

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