Mohamed Khairul Riduan Mohamed Sarip planned armed action related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
SINGAPORE: A 38-year-old teacher from the Ministry of Education (MOE), Mohamed Khairul Riduan Mohamed Sarip, has been arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for planning to engage in armed violence in connection with the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Investigations indicate that Khairul acted independently, with no signs of plans to execute attacks within Singapore, as confirmed by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in a news release on January 11.
Khairul is the second Singaporean detained under the ISA for intentions of armed violence tied to the Israel-Palestine situation. The first was Amirull Ali, 20, arrested in February 2021 for plotting a knife attack against Jews at a synagogue in Waterloo Street.
According to the ISD, Khairul intended to travel to Gaza, disguising his actions as humanitarian aid, to join HAMAS and its military wing in their efforts against Israel. He was apprehended last October and subsequently detained under the ISA starting November 30.
Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam described Khairul’s actions as “very serious” and emphasized that, as far as authorities are aware, there is no evidence suggesting he attempted to influence his students.
Mr. Shanmugam stated that Khairul is the first public servant and teacher to be detained for terrorism-related offences, adding that Khairul harbored segregationist and extremist beliefs. He reportedly tried to sway family members, including his children, to adopt similar views, sharing lectures from radical preacher Zakir Naik, known for his controversial statements. Khairul even forbade his children from celebrating birthdays.
INTEREST IN THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT
Khairul’s fascination with the Israel-Palestine conflict dates back to 2007 when he encountered videos depicting alleged Israeli aggression against Palestinians.
“He developed a strong desire to defend and support Muslims in Gaza out of deep sympathy,” the ISD noted.
Further online research solidified his belief that the Israeli Defense Forces were oppressing Palestinians. He viewed videos from Naik and another radical preacher, Ahmed Deedat, which discussed the concept of armed jihad in defense of Islam, reinforcing Khairul’s conviction that armed resistance was necessary.
Khairul first contemplated traveling to Gaza in 2012 after seeing a Facebook post titled “Panggilan Jihad!” (Call to Jihad!), which called for volunteers for humanitarian missions.
Although he didn’t travel at that time, he felt compelled to do so during later escalations in the conflict, specifically in 2014 and 2021, but was thwarted by travel restrictions.
Despite these setbacks, ISD reported that Khairul continues to desire travel to Gaza and would be motivated to act if the conflict intensified.
PLANS TO JOIN HAMAS
Upon reaching Gaza, Khairul intended to connect with HAMAS and its military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (AQB).
He researched travel routes, sought advice from individuals familiar with Gaza, and planned to travel under the pretense of providing humanitarian aid.
Khairul conducted extensive research on HAMAS and AQB’s tactics and operations, believing they were the legitimate defenders of Palestinians.
He was prepared to follow any directives from HAMAS, including engaging in armed combat, kidnapping, or executing prisoners of war. Khairul was confident that his National Service training from 2004 to 2006 equipped him with the necessary skills for armed conflict.
He was convinced that if he died during armed jihad, he would achieve martyrdom and sought to learn Arabic to facilitate communication with Hamas and AQB fighters.
Moreover, Khairul considered serving as a spokesperson and international recruiter for HAMAS, aiming to facilitate the travel of others interested in joining the armed struggle and to report on the situation in Gaza via social media.
IMMINENT THREAT
The ISD stated that Khairul “poses an imminent threat” due to his deeply entrenched radical beliefs and support for violence.
Investigations revealed no indications that he attempted to recruit others for his plans to travel to Gaza for armed action.
The ISD is committed to taking firm measures against anyone in Singapore who promotes or plans armed violence, particularly if they are public servants.
“Khairul was convinced that violence against the Israel Defense Forces and other ‘oppressors’ of Muslims was justified and was prepared to combat them alongside HAMAS and AQB, even if it meant dying as a martyr,” ISD affirmed.
Despite previous unsuccessful attempts to travel to Gaza, Khairul remains committed to pursuing this goal should the conflict escalate again.
The ISD urged the public to stay vigilant for signs of radicalization within the community, emphasizing the need for early intervention to prevent potential tragedies.
Indicators of radicalization include avid consumption of extremist materials, “us versus them” mentalities, support for terrorist groups, or interest in participating in armed conflict abroad.
Anyone suspecting that someone has been radicalized is encouraged to contact the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800-2626-473.
In response to inquiries, Mr. Shanmugam clarified that those wishing to support any cause, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, should do so through legitimate organizations.
Regarding background checks on government employees, he assured that these are “fairly thorough.”
“If he exhibited any tendencies at that time, and we had known, he obviously would not have been employed. Our checks are designed to uncover such issues. However, if individuals keep their thoughts hidden, it may not always be possible to identify them,” he noted.
Shanmugam added that Khairul’s radical tendencies developed after his tenure at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), where he worked from October 2006 to December 2008.
He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards individuals planning to engage in overseas conflicts, stating, “We act when we detect planning, unlike some other countries that wait for actual actions.”
A Ministry of Education spokesperson confirmed that Khairul has not been teaching since October 2022.
The spokesperson emphasized that ISD’s findings indicate he acted alone and did not attempt to involve others, stating, “This case highlights the persistent dangers of radicalization, including online radicalization, which we all must remain vigilant against.”
“MOE takes this case very seriously and will continue to collaborate closely with ISD and the community to protect our schools and students from such threats.”
