SINGAPORE: When news broke that two Singaporean youths – aged 15 and 16 – were issued orders under the Internal Security Act, Dr Mohammed Bin Ali, co-chairman and counsellor of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), said what stood out for him was the fact that the family members were unaware of the boys’ radical views or support for armed violence.
Both boys had been exposed to online propaganda spread through podcasts and games, said the Internal Security Department. The 16-year-old boy had joined multiple Islamic State-themed servers on online gaming platform Roblox. The virtual game settings replicated physical Islamic State conflict zones, such as those in Syria and Marawi city in the southern Philippines.
Dr Ali added that “families are the first line of defence against radicalisation. If radicalisation is suspected, parents and even other family members like siblings must realise that they have to intervene because that is actually helping that child.
“If they’re not able to advise and give guidance, they must have the guts to report the case to the authorities,” he said.
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