Buangkok 'sword man' previously probed for terror-related offences

SINGAPORE - The sword-wielding man in Buangkok was previously investigated by the Internal Security Department (ISD) for possible terrorism-related offences but was not found to have been radicalised.

ISD said on Tuesday (March 15) that it is currently working with the police to investigate Fadhil bin Yusop, 37, who will be charged on Wednesday with an alleged offence of voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.

"ISD is working with the police to investigate this incident. Fadhil is believed to have acted alone, and preliminary investigations thus far do not suggest that the incident is an act of terror," said the department.

"He had allegedly consumed some unknown pills prior to leaving his home with the sword."

ISD said that at about 1.56pm on Monday, the police responded to multiple calls of a man swinging a sword in the middle of Buangkok Crescent and stopping oncoming traffic.

The man had allegedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the incident, which means "God is the Greatest" in Arabic. Investigations so far suggest that his acts were not related to terrorism, said ISD.

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The department said that Fadhil was previously investigated by the ISD in 2016 for sharing images of militant groups such as Hamas's Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades online. Hamas is a Palestinian terrorist organisation.

"However, there was no indication that he was radicalised or intended to engage in armed violence. Fadhil was administered with a written warning for his social media posts," said ISD.

About four years later in January 2020, Fadhil was arrested by the police for approaching the Imam at the Al-Mawaddah mosque in Buangkok with a knife. ISD's joint investigations with the police at the time did not suggest that Fadhil's attack was terrorism-related.

"Fadhil was found to have consumed a large number of pills containing dextromethorphan, which contributed to his behaviour. He was sentenced to nine months and two weeks' imprisonment and was subsequently released in July 2020 (after his sentence was backdated)," said ISD.

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant also found in some over-the-counter medicine.

Although Fadhil was assessed not to be radicalised, he was referred for religious counselling after this second incident as a matter of precaution, the department added.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.