Singapore Detains Teen For Planning Terrorist Attack Against Muslims - Interior Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) A 16-year-old boy was arrested in Singapore after planning to carry out terrorist attacks at two mosques on the anniversary of the Christchurch shootings in New Zealand, the Singaporean Home Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday.

"A 16-year-old male Singaporean was detained in December 2020 under the Internal Security Act (ISA). A secondary school student at the time, he was found to have made detailed plans and preparations to conduct terrorist attacks using a machete against Muslims at two mosques in Singapore," the ministry said in a press release.

According to the ministry, the detainee, a Protestant Christian of Indian ethnicity, was inspired by far-right extremist ideology and planned to target Muslims at the anniversary of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings.

The ministry added that the teenager was inspired by Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator behind the attack in New Zealand, and his manifesto.

On March 15, 2019, New Zealand was rocked by two mass shootings at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Center in the central city of Christchurch. The tragedy left 51 people dead and 40 others wounded. The attacker live-streamed the massacre on Facebook, and the video later appeared on other online platforms. Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in August 2020.