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Points Made By The Minister For Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng on Terrorism and the August Arrests
Date : 19 September 2002
Points Made By The Minister For Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng (on Terrorism and the August Arrests) during The Joint Ministerial Visit, 19 Sep 2002
During the joint ministerial visit on 18 Sep, the Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng made the following points:
"Keeping Singapore safe and secure has always been a common mission for both MHA and MINDEF. We have always sought to leverage on each other's natural competencies. This approach has helped us to integrate, and find common ground.
2 Counter-terrorism is also not a new role for us. Within the Home Team, ISD's Counter-terrorism division has been monitoring trends in terrorist modus operandi in order to advise the development of commensurate response capabilities.. In the 1995, after the sarin attack in Tokyo, we worked out and later established a capability in the Singapore Civil Defence Force to deal with terrorist threats deploying chemical weapons. In 1998, the Internal Security Department's Counter-terrorism division established a 24- hour incident response centre which works closely with local and foreign partners in intelligence sharing and investigation. In May this year, we established the Homefront Security Centre in MHA. This centre identified and reviews plans to undertake and deal with security issues. These Home Team structures are in turn all linked, including to the newly set up MINDEF bodies like the National Security Secretariat and the National Security Task Force (NSTF)
3 It is not enough just for the Government authorities to be prepared and vigilant. The total Singapore community too has an important role to play in helping to keep Singapore safe and secure.
Replies to Questions
On whether the arrested are new members: This is not a new episode, but a continuation of the earlier arrests. We were monitoring others at the same time then. As a result, these 21 were arrested. They included those some of those who fled earlier.
On investigations: In January, I said that investigations were ongoing when we detained the 13 JI members. And that if we need to, further arrests may be made. But whether there are more arrests or not would depend on how seriously and deeply involved the others are.
On whether there is any threat: We have disrupted the JI network in Singapore. There is no imminent threat for Singapore.
On regional cooperation: We have worked with counterparts in the regin for a long time and will continue to do so. As a result of collaboration among ISD and their counterparts, Malaysia arrested the JI members, the Philippines arrested Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi, and "Sammy" is now in the custody of America.
Why the delay in coming out with the detailed statement (after the release of the short statement on 16 Sep): There are operational reasons.
Any link between Omar Al-Faruq and the 21 arrests: The arrests are not the result of Omar Al-Faruq's arrest.
Arrests and stand on Iraq: The issue of Iraq is not a Muslim issue, not an issue of religion. Even these arrests are not about people connected with religion, but who use religion to perpetuate a terrorist cause. Singaporeans know not to play into their hands. It is a security issue.
Racial and Religious Harmony: Racial harmony has been built up over the years. After the 1964 riots, Singaporeans needed time to recover psychologically. If, because of these arrests, we now distrust each other, then the terrorists would have achieved their aim. Let us not play into their hands.
Why time lag between first group and second: It is not a time lag between the first and second arrests. Investigations have to be properly done. Investigations have to be done intelligently. It is not like a movie, which is over in about two hours. It takes time to do proper and good investigation."
