As predicted by Think Centre, the ISD has arrested 21 Singaporeans for terrorism related activities in the latest crack down. 19 of them were connected to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network. 2 others were connected to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a secessionist group in the Philippines.
The members of JI belonged to operational cells and had conducted reconnaissance and surveys of selected targets in Singapore on the instruction of their JI leaders who have been mostly arrested last December. However, some key members are still at large in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Some had undergone military training in both Afghanistan and Mindanao.
The Home Affairs ministry is due to issue its White Paper soon. It remains unclear how the latest arrests will impact the timing of the release of the White Paper and also its contents.
The names of the detainees have not been released. However, Think Centre sources say that two self declared "ustads" or religious teachers not accredited with PERGAS may have been detained.
