The Changing Threat Landscape: Countering Terrorism in Singapore

Abstract

The pre-eminent national security challenge to Singapore is from terrorism and its precursor ideological extremism. With increased globalization, securing Singapore from transnational and indigenous threats is a growing national security challenge. Both the Singapore government and its inhabitants – citizens and residents – are at increasing risk from terrorism and ideological extremism. Through sustained efforts, the Singapore government seeks to mitigate the threat of an attack from overseas and from radicalization of a vulnerable segment of its citizens. Having understood the changing nature of the threat, Singapore has invested in a spectrum of countermeasures from international security cooperation and collaboration to building a strategic partnership with community leaders and organizations. After September 11, 2001, Singapore has created a counterterrorism infrastructure to mitigate the threat of politically motivated violence. To secure Singapore, the government has reached out to the civil society (community, academia) and businesses and build a partnership. If not the safest, Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world. Nonetheless, Singapore faces a sustained threat both from group and home-grown terrorism. With the centre of gravity of terrorism shifting from al Qaeda to the Islamic State, terrorism and ideological extremism will remain a threat to Singapore in the coming years. For the Government of Singapore to protect the Lion City from harm, the authorities will have to continuously assess the changing threat and develop appropriate countermeasures.

This chapter was previously published as Gunaratna, Rohan. “The Changing Terrorist Threat Landscape in Singapore.” In Perspectives on the Security of Singapore: The First 50 Years, edited by Barry Desker and Cheng Guan Ang, 229–252. Singapore: World Scientific and Imperial College Press, 2016.