Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen on Friday (Aug 5) said that Singapore “should assume that there may be more plots” like the plan to launch rockets from Indonesia’s Batam island against targets in Marina Bay, which was foiled by Indonesian authorities.

Dr Ng added that since the Sep 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) “has paid very close attention to aerial threats and has upgraded (Singapore’s) air defence systems”.

The Defence Minister made his comments after six suspects, allegedly from the terror group KGR@Katibah GR, were arrested in Indonesia, including ringleader Gigih Rahmat Dewa, 31, who is said to have been behind the plot to attack Marina Bay.

… Said Dr Graham Ong-Webb, a research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies: “It’s more likely if you want something to fly that distance and precisely hit a specific target like the Marina Bay Sands for example, then you need to buy something off the shelves.