Two Singaporeans dealt with under ISA; teen subscribed to 'salad bar' mix of extremist ideologies

SINGAPORE: Two self-radicalised male Singaporeans were dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in March, including a 19-year-old influenced by what the Internal Security Department (ISD) has called "salad bar" extremism.

Both cases of radicalisation were triggered by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ISD said on Wednesday (Jun 24).

Cyrus Dzulqarnain Al-Shahriar, a 19-year-old student, was issued a restriction order under the ISA.

He was self-radicalised online by Composite Violent Extremism (CoVE) and subscribed to pro-Hamas, anti-LGBTQ, anti-Western beliefs and violent incel ideologies, said ISD.

In the other case, 30-year-old customer service officer Tarmizi bin Mohd Taha was issued with an order of detention under ISA.

ISD said that Tarmizi was a staunch supporter of Hamas and aspired to travel to the Palestinian territories to join the group. He indicated that he would be willing to undertake armed violence against Israel or conduct attacks in Singapore, if instructed by Hamas, said ISD.

Both cases are unrelated.

"SALAD BAR" EXTREMISM

Cyrus' case highlights CoVE, which ISD has previously referred to as "salad bar" extremism.

In 2022, Cyrus joined several online religious discussion groups to learn more about Islam, where he was exposed to anti-Western and anti-LGBTQ content. He later made online posts inciting violence against the LGBTQ community.

Following the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct 7, 2023, Cyrus was exposed to a proliferation of pro-Hamas narratives online.

"He came to support Hamas and their violent actions, including their killing of civilians, which he viewed as a form of jihad," said ISD.

In 2024, Cyrus had considered travelling to Gaza to join the group and take up arms against Israelis on the front lines of the conflict. However, he did not make preparations to do so, as he lacked the resources to travel overseas and was fearful of engaging in physical violence.

What is Composite Violent Extremism?

Composite Violent Extremism (CoVE), previously referred to by ISD as "salad bar" extremism, is a type of violent extremism in which individuals adopt multiple, sometimes conflicting extremist ideologies instead of following a consistent or unified worldview.

This creates a personalised composite belief system that the individual uses to justify acts of violence.

Cyrus Dzulqarnain Al-Shahriar was influenced by a blend of pro-Hamas, anti-LGBTQ and anti-Western beliefs, and was influenced by Islamist accelerationism and violent incel ideologies.

Accelerationism, in the extremist context, promotes the hastened collapse of modern societal structures and political systems, often through the use of violence.

In Cyrus' case, he was influenced by a strand of Islamist accelerationism which encouraged the use of violence to hasten societal collapse, to then establish Islam as the leading global civilisation.

He is the second known case of CoVE in Singapore.

In September 2025, a 14-year-old was issued a restriction order, in what was Singapore's first case of "salad bar" extremism.

The boy supported the extremist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), subscribed to anti-Semitic beliefs espoused in far-right extremist ideologies, and also identified as an incel, said ISD.

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In mid-2024, Cyrus encountered social media posts by members of a niche online Islamist extremist group which subscribed to violent accelerationist ideas.

The group advocated creating “chaos” through violence to establish a future with Islam as the leading global civilisation, said ISD.

"They believed that they needed to destroy the current 'world order', where first world countries, including Singapore, were considered an extension of the United States, and under the control of Zionists," the agency said.

After joining the group's private chat group in early 2025, Cyrus' support for extremist violence deepened.

According to ISD, he was influenced by the group’s support for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) offensive against then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, before its collapse in December 2024, as well as the Oct 7, 2023, attacks.

He began glorifying terrorist attacks that targeted Westerners, including Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the 2002 Bali bombings, and made online posts glorifying these attacks.

At the request of one member, Cyrus went to the Esplanade area twice to take photos of an e-publication authored by members of the group, with Marina Bay Sands in the background.

As part of a pledge of allegiance to the group, Cyrus uploaded these photos to his social media account in November 2025.

He then saw himself as a member of the group and began participating in “digital jihad” efforts, which involved harassing users online who were deemed to be anti-Islam so as to “combat American and Zionist movements”, said ISD.

"Taking his cue from other members of the group, he posted fake news on social media to defame such users, and incited violence against them," said the agency, adding that he also made online posts glorifying HTS and Hamas.

INCEL IDEOLOGIES AND SCHOOL SHOOTERS

Separately, in early 2025, Cyrus became immersed in violent incel ideology after coming across online content on school shooter Elliot Rodger, who was behind the Isla Vista killings in California on May 23, 2014.

Rodger's attacks, which are widely praised in the incel community, were said to stem from resentment over his bullying, social isolation and rejection by women, said ISD.

Cyrus became intrigued by Rodger's incel inclinations. After browsing online incel forums, he identified as one.

According to ISD, Cyrus was unhappy about his inability to pursue romantic relationships and subscribed to incel beliefs, such as "looksmaxxing". This incel subculture offers solutions for improving one’s physical appearance.

He also subscribed to the "black pill" theory, which posits that some men are doomed to fail in romantic pursuits and will never find a partner.

He made online posts threatening to kill or rape women, using derogatory incel terminology such as “foid”, short for female humanoid, to refer to women.

The 19-year-old also became supportive of Rodger and other school shooters through consuming true crime content, a genre of media that focuses on real-life criminal cases, often involving violent or sensational offences like assault and serial killings.

He had fantasised about committing violence against certain groups of people in school, including LGBTQ individuals and couples in relationships. ISD said these thoughts did not progress beyond ideation and that he had not shared his extremist views or violent ideations with his family or schoolmates.

"While Cyrus did not take preparatory steps to execute his violent ideations, his support for terrorist and extremist groups, and his online postings inciting violence against others, are of security concern," said ISD.

As such, he has been placed on a restriction order for ISD to monitor him and put him through a rehabilitation regime to address his radical beliefs.

Those on restriction orders cannot travel out of Singapore or change addresses without approval. They also cannot access the internet or social media, issue public statements, address public meetings or print, and distribute or contribute to any publication without approval.

WILLINGNESS TO CARRY OUT ATTACKS

In the other case announced on Wednesday, Tarmizi bin Mohd Taha was said to have become “deeply interested” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after the Oct 7 attacks and joined several social media channels, where he was exposed to Hamas propaganda and would frequently rewatch, said ISD.

By February 2024, Tarmizi had viewed Hamas as defenders of Palestinians and believed in armed violence against “enemies” and “disbelievers” responsible for oppressing Palestinians, which he identified as Zionists, Jews and non-Muslims, said ISD.

Tarmizi would also frequently post pro-Hamas material on social media to garner support for the group and its cause.

In late 2024, an online foreign contact who claimed to be a Hamas member wanted to help Tarmizi travel to the Palestinian territories to join the group, an offer he considered but did not take up at the time.

In August, 2025, Tarmizi watched a video of a Palestinian being killed. This sparked a strong sense of outrage and re-triggered his earlier intent to join Hamas, said ISD.

In preparation for travelling to the Palestinian territories, Tarmizi renewed contact with the supposed Hamas member to seek advice and searched online for travel routes, though he did not proceed further because he lacked the financial resources.

Tarmizi intended to meet Hamas officials in the Palestinian territories and take a pledge of allegiance in person.

ISD said that he indicated that he would be willing to engage in armed combat against Israel or carry out attacks in Singapore, if instructed by Hamas.

“Tarmizi intended to use his skills from his previous work experience in administrative and logistic roles, including as a logistics assistant during his National Service in the Singapore Police Force, to contribute to Hamas,” the agency added.

“He believed that such actions would ultimately lead him to achieving martyrdom.”

Given his staunch support for Hamas, communications with a purported Hamas member to facilitate plans to travel to the Palestinian territories and willingness to undertake armed violence in Singapore as well as overseas, ISD assessed him to pose an imminent security threat and detained him under ISA.

GRIEVANCE-FUELLED EXTREMIST NARRATIVES

The two cases, said ISD, show how grievance-fuelled extremist narratives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continue to radicalise Singaporeans nearly three years after the re-escalation of the conflict in October 2023.

Tarmizi and Cyrus are the seventh and eighth Singaporeans dealt with under ISA, whose radicalisation was triggered or accelerated by the conflict since its re-escalation.

Both were exposed to pro-Hamas narratives online and aspired to travel to Gaza to join the group.

In Tarmizi’s case, he was willing to conduct attacks in Singapore if instructed by Hamas to do so.

“While Singaporeans remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian cost of the conflict, it is critical that we do not allow extremist narratives capitalising on foreign conflicts to take root in our society,” said ISD.

The agency said that firm action would be taken against anyone in Singapore who supports, promotes, undertakes or makes preparations for armed violence, regardless of how they rationalise such violence ideologically or where the violence takes place.

ISD said Cyrus' case underscores the growing diversity of violent extremist ideologies fuelling the domestic self-radicalisation threat, especially amongst the youth. He is the second individual radicalised by CoVE to be dealt with under ISA.

It said the CoVE trend reflects how people can draw from multiple extremist ideologies in the digital age, and that the lack of a coherent worldview does not lessen the threat.

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PUBLIC TIP-OFFS

Cyrus’ case came to light after a member of the public reported his extremist online posts, which included anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas views.

“Anyone, regardless of demographic profile, is susceptible to radicalisation,” said ISD.

Possible signs of radicalisation include, but are not limited to, the following:

Displaying signs or symbols of extremist/terrorist groups (e.g., displaying Hamas’ flag as one’s social media photo)

Frequently surfing radical websites

Posting/sharing extremist views on social media platforms, such as expressing support/admiration for terrorists/terrorist groups as well as the use of violence

Sharing extremist views with friends and relatives

Making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities

Expressing intent to participate in acts of violence overseas or in Singapore

Inciting others to participate in acts of violence

Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised, or is involved in terrorism-related activities, should contact ISD at 1800-2626-473.

PREVIOUS CASES

ISA also gave updates on several people previously dealt with under ISA.

Radjev Lal Madan Lal, 33, was released from detention on a restriction order in April.

He was detained in April 2022, after investigations found that he was self-radicalised and had made preparations to travel to overseas conflict zones to undertake armed violence.

ISD said that Radjev has shown good progress in his rehabilitation and was assessed to no longer pose an imminent security threat requiring preventive detention.

The agency added that restriction orders issued against three Singaporeans were allowed to lapse upon their expiry as they made good progress in their rehabilitation and no longer require close supervision.

Among them were two former Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members.

Abd Rahim bin Abdul Rahman, 57, was detained in March 2012 and released on a suspension direction in March 2019. He was subsequently issued with a restriction order in March 2020, which lapsed in March.

Another former JI member, Husaini bin Ismail, 67, was detained in June 2012 and released on a restriction order in June 2020, which lapsed in June.

The third Singaporean is 35-year-old Mohamed Faishal bin Mohd Razali, who was self-radicalised and wanted to undertake armed violence overseas in various conflict zones, including Syria.

He was detained in April 2018 and released on a suspension direction in May 2021. He was later issued with a restriction order in April 2022, which was allowed to lapse in April 2026.

Source: CNA/dc(ac)