18-year-old influenced by white supremacy sought to attack Muslims in Singapore and expressed admiration for Christchurch shooter
A Singaporean teenager, Nick Lee Xing Qiu, has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after being influenced by far-right extremism and attempting to plan attacks on Muslims in Singapore. Lee, 18, idolised the Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who was responsible for the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, and started role-playing as a terrorist in an online game, where he pretended to kill Muslims in a mosque.
Lee’s radicalisation began in early 2023 after consuming Islamophobic and far-right extremist content on social media. Over time, he grew hostile towards Muslims and ethnic minorities, adopting views aligned with white supremacy. He expressed a desire to incite violence and wanted to start a “race war” between Chinese and Malays in Singapore. Lee was also inspired by the so-called Great Replacement Theory, which suggests that white populations in Western countries are being replaced by non-white immigrants.
The Internal Security Department (ISD) highlighted that Lee intended to carry out attacks against Muslims in Singapore with the help of other far-right individuals he met online. Although he lacked the courage to carry out an attack on his own, he expressed willingness to join forces with others. Lee even considered using homemade weapons and Molotov cocktails for an attack but did not take significant steps toward execution.
The ISD noted that Lee was the third young individual to be radicalised by far-right ideologies in Singapore, a growing global concern. The two previous cases involved teenage boys planning similar attacks in Singapore, highlighting the increasing appeal of such ideologies among youths. These ideologies not only promote white supremacy but also foster ethno-religious hatred and xenophobia, which are concerning for Singapore’s multiracial society.
Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, praised the actions of the ISD, calling them a reminder of the importance of safeguarding racial and religious harmony in Singapore. He urged the public to remain vigilant against radicalisation and report any suspicious behaviour to the authorities.
The ISD has made it clear that anyone found supporting or planning violence will face firm action, and they continue to monitor and act against hate speech that could endanger Singapore’s social cohesion.
