SINGAPORE – Before 2015, it used to take an average of 24 months for someone in Singapore to be self-radicalised.

With social media, cases between 2021 and 2025 took an average of just 12 months, said the Internal Security Department (ISD) in its annual report on terrorism released on July 29.

It added that innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) risk complicating the terrorist threat both globally and locally.

In two cases here, AI chatbots were used for terrorism-related activities.

ISD’s investigations found that many self-radicalised Singaporeans had unintentionally stumbled upon extremist materials online, as social media algorithms recommended similar content to what they had recently viewed.

Some of this was radical content and resulted in many recent cases taking only a few months to be self-radicalised, said ISD.

It cited a case involving a 15-year-old girl here who was issued a restriction order in February.

Her radicalisation took mere weeks.

She had seen ISIS propaganda online in June 2023, pledged allegiance to the terrorist group a month later and

wanted to marry an ISIS fighter

. She started at least eight online relationships with supporters of ISIS and was the first female teen to be dealt with under the Internal Security Act.

The report highlighted the role of social media and online platforms like Telegram, Reddit, Discord, Roblox and Bitchute, with extremist groups using memes and slang to promote their propaganda.

ISD said it has seen an increasing variety of such platforms being featured in cases of self-radicalised individuals here, especially in instances involving youth.

Technology featured prominently in two recent cases involving youth.

One was an ISIS supporter, while the other was a supporter of far-right extremism (FRE).

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Both were self-radicalised 17-year-olds who turned to AI chatbots for their terrorism-related activities.

ISD said it is seeing an emerging trend of evolving technologies like AI and 3D printing being found in youth self-radicalisation cases here.

The ISIS supporter who was detained in September 2024 had used an AI chatbot to generate a bai’ah, or oath of allegiance, to ISIS.

After taking the pledge,

he

had planned to kill non-Muslims in Tampines during the September school holidays.

He also used the AI chatbot to generate a declaration of armed jihad against non-Muslims to inspire other Muslims in Singapore to engage in armed violence.

The other teen, who was an FRE supporter detained in March, had been inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019.

He searched for instructions on an AI chatbot about producing ammunition and considered 3D-printing his own firearms to carry out attacks here.

He identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and had

planned to kill at least 100 Muslims

as they were leaving after Friday prayers.

ISD said even though there is no indication that such evolving technologies have been used in any terrorist attack plot in Singapore, it is expected that terrorists will exploit them given how easily accessible such tools are.

ISD said there is a need for increased cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially with technology and social media companies, to create a safer online environment.

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It noted that technology companies have increased efforts to prevent and disrupt terrorists’ abuse of their platforms and services, such as by regulating and removing harmful content on social media platforms.

But it added: “However, technology companies could continue to explore further efforts in this area, including collaboration with religious and community organisations, to guide users in navigating the digital space and positively influence the online discourse.”

Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised should contact the ISD hotline on 1800-2626-473 or e-mail

isd@mha.gov.sg