Migrant Workers can be Partners against Redicalisation: Experts

TODAY

05 May 2016

Terror and security experts said the emergence of a second case of radicalised migrant workers here points to the need for the authorities to engage the community, to harness them as possible prevention partners rather than to ostracise them and see them as “targets” of radicalisation.

This means national efforts to boost Singapore’s resilience against terrorism-related activities must involve both Singaporeans and transient residents at the grassroots level.

In his comments after security forces detained members of the clandestine group Islamic State in Bangladesh — who plotted terrorism on their home country while working here — Singapore Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam revealed that the community at large did not provide information leading to their arrest.

Mr Rohan Gunaratna, a security studies professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said that more must be done to engage the migrant workforce and diaspora population, given the expanding footprint of the Bangladeshi terror network.

“Whatever takes place at home (in Bangladesh) has an impact overseas … In the current political and security climate, periodic arrests and deportation of migrant workers susceptible to extremist and terror ideologies could be a common feature.”

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Last updated on 05/05/2016