Is Singapore psychologically prepared for a terror attack?

SINGAPORE: "It's the moment that you have all been waiting for. The people I will be killing."Those chilling words were in a 21-page manifesto written by a self-radicalised 14-year-old student who was planning a mass-casualty stabbing attack at his secondary school during the school holidays.With just weeks before his planned attack, the teen was arrested by the Internal Security Department (ISD) in May. Authorities called the incident a "close shave".This year marks 10 years since the launch of SGSecure, the country's community response to the threat of terrorism. CNA spoke to psychologists from ISD and the Ministry of Home Affairs' Home Team Psychology Division on whether Singapore and its people are psychologically prepared to deal with a terror attack. PSYCHOLOGICALLY PREPARED?People tend to associate terror attacks with fear, but being psychologically prepared goes beyond that, said assistant director of the Home Team Psychology Division Jasmine Tan."When we talk about our psychological preparedness, ultimately what we really want to do is we want to move beyond the fear. We want to translate it into people being able to take action," she said.That preparedness has both cognitive and emotional aspects.Cognitively, people need to know what a terror attack looks like, through realistic drills or scenarios to prompt them to think about how they would navigate such a situation, said Ms Tan.They must know the reporting channels and the steps to take."So that we don't just focus on the fear alone, but it's (about) equipping them with coping, the agency, so that they know that they can actually do something in that situation," Ms Tan added.That could mean helping others evacuate during a crisis or administering first aid. Being emotionally prepared helps people keep calm and not panic, said Ms Tan."Ultimately, these are the different domains when we talk about psychological preparedness. What we eventually really want to do is that we hope that in times of terror or crisis, people will not freeze up." Ms Jasmine Tan, assistant director of the Home Team Psychology Division, at the Ministry of Home Affairs headquarters on Sep 10, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee) Dr Diong Siew Maan, director at the Home Team Psychology Division, said that when psychological preparedness is done as a community, it makes confronting a crisis less daunting."When it's not done alone, it's less fearful also. And when it's done repeatedly, the fear actually goes down."An example of a collective effort is psychological first aid. Describing it as "almost like an emotional band-aid", she said those keen to help others can be taught basic skills to become a psychological first responder. They have to first prepare for the crisis and then look out for a person's safety and emotional needs, and if he or she is experiencing a certain type of distress.Other skills include listening to their emotions or experiences and linking them with assistance or their loved ones based on their needs. Dr Diong Siew Maan, director at the Home Team Psychology Division, speaking to the media at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sep 10, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee) "Realistically, there are very few psychologists and counsellors to attend to everybody. But if everybody has that skill in the community, then they can help one another … It's like a life skill."First responders too need to be psychologically prepared. Routine operations can take a turn if they encounter something unexpected, such as their teammates getting injured or distressing situations involving children or vulnerable groups, said Dr Diong."That can affect our Home Team officers, even though they are trained, because situations evolve and change … When they work together, when they respond together, they are also constantly looking out for one another. And if something is seen to be not right with a particular officer, then the supervisor will usually do a check-in," she said. Supervisors can also refer them to psychologists, she said, adding that there are psychologists who respond to different officers at each Home Team department. What is SGSecure? SGSecure is Singapore's community response to the threat of terrorism. It is a movement aimed at building the community's resilience and a call to action to come together and safeguard the way of life.It focuses on three core actions in the fight against terrorism: staying alert to prevent a terrorist attack and to keep oneself safe in the event of an attack; staying united to help one another during peacetime and after an attack; and staying strong to safeguard Singapore's social fabric and bounce back as one people.An SGSecure mobile app is also available for users to submit information on suspicious sightings to authorities and receive timely alerts and updates in the event of major emergencies.Those with skills in CPR, first aid, basic firefighting and psychological first aid can sign up as a responder. After signing up, they will receive alerts to cardiac arrests or minor fires happening nearby. Collapse Expand HAVE WE BECOME COMPLACENT?In June 2025, MHA conducted two social experiments to test public vigilance and response to terror attacks.In the first experiment, a man who was "dressed suspiciously" left a suitcase containing a dummy bomb in front of a car park and ATM at Our Tampines Hub during the peak lunch period.The same suitcase, with wires sticking out, was placed at a pillar in front of a store during dinner hours, this time with a blinking red light.The second experiment involved a car loaded with empty gas cylinders at the car park beside Bishan Community Club.It was first parked haphazardly beside a sheltered walkway and later the gas cylinders were positioned to protrude out of the car boot, with smoke emitting periodically.Of the 2,530 people who walked past the suspicious objects in both experiments, 17.3 per cent noticed them, based on MHA's observations. Of those who noticed the suspicious object, only about 5.9 per cent – or 26 people – intended or took steps to inform the authorities. The vast majority walked away. A suitcase containing a dummy bomb was left unattended at Our Tampines Hub as part of the Ministry of Home Affairs' SGSecure social experiment in June 2025. (Photo: MHA) The few reports did not mean people in Singapore do not care or are complacent, said Dr Diong. Some could have been busy, failed to pay attention or did not have the time to help, she added."But I think a lot of Singaporeans still care," said Dr Diong. "There have been a lot of occasions when, when there's a call for help, Singaporeans will come forward. It is about giving the right information, the right time, and then people will step up."Mindsets towards terrorism have shifted from thinking of it as something distant that happens elsewhere to something that could happen in Singapore, and the conversation is not whether an attack will happen, but when it will happen, said Dr Diong.Ms Tan said people know they must be prepared for such incidents. Studies have shown that people are generally aware of the need to report any suspicious behaviour or items.Dr Diong attributed this mindset shift to people in Singapore being well-connected and educated, and aware of events unfolding in other parts of the world.Many travel out of Singapore, and some may have even experienced "some of this violence" overseas. These experiences have reinforced that the threat of terrorism is real, she said.But awareness may not always translate to action. Ms Tan pointed to what psychologists call the intention and action gap as a possible explanation for the small proportion of people who reported the incidents during MHA's social experiments.They may have had the intention to report, but various psychological barriers could have stopped them from doing so, she said. One is the bystander effect, where they believe someone else will make the report, so there is no need for them to act.Others may have questioned whether the threat was real and decided not to report it for fear of appearing nosy or being punished if it turned out to be a false alarm."All this eventually shapes the decision of whether people take action or not. This gap in the intention and action … is useful because then it guides us to know exactly what we need to do, perhaps to prompt people to take more action," said Ms Tan.Another challenge was misinformation and rumours about crises that spread quickly online, said Dr Diong.This information can reach the public faster than authorities and agencies are able to respond. This means Home Team officers have to react and adapt quickly, attending to not just the real crisis on the ground but also the information gaps surrounding it.The psychological consequences of such an attack can extend far beyond those physically involved."We also have to look into the emotions of people because people who are reading the news will also be affected. Which means that the help is no longer just confined to those who are affected by the incident, (but) those who have heard about the incident, and are indirectly being influenced as a result of the incident."That means that the type of psychological support following a crisis may need to be expanded," said Dr Diong. BEHIND THE CASESFor ISD's intelligence psychologists, some cases have challenged their assumptions about radicalisation and changed the way they approach their work.The two psychologists cannot be named due to the sensitivity of their work.Dave still recalls a case early in his career where he worked with a young person who had been radicalised. At that time, he had certain expectations of what a radicalised person would look like and how he or she would behave.But when he sat with the person, he was surprised by how normal the youth was. "Their speech, behaviour, and mannerisms were familiar, because it felt like it almost mirrored my younger self," said Dave, who has been at ISD for five years."This encounter made me realise that the threats I was dealing with were not always visible just because they were 'extreme', but could be more subtle and invisible.“This understanding changed the way I approached my work, making me more aware of the complexities and nuances of radicalisation."It also changed the way he thought about rehabilitation and counselling. He recognised that rehabilitation required a deeper understanding of a person's motivations, vulnerabilities and circumstances.The experience also drove home another lesson: those who had been radicalised were people who had been misled, some even duped, into believing certain ideologies."Most importantly, it made me believe that these individuals deserve a second chance. Despite the harm they may have caused or the ideologies they may have espoused in the past, I came to understand that they are still human beings capable of growth, change, and redemption," Dave said."By providing them with a supportive and non-judgmental environment, I believe that we can help them to rediscover their sense of purpose and identity, and to find a more positive and constructive path forward."Dave specialises in psychological rehabilitation programmes for individuals dealt with under the Internal Security Act. These aim to change the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours associated with violent radicalisation.As each case is unique, psychologists need to have a holistic understanding of the person and the factors related to their radicalisation, while developing a tailored rehabilitation plan, he said. Dave (not his real name), an intelligence psychologist with the Internal Security Department, pictured on Sep 10, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee) Cass said this collaborative approach helped to rehabilitate a youth she worked with in 2022. The youth, whom she referred to as "Daniel", was one of the first few young people she had worked with. She was struck by his transformation – his resilience and his willingness to change were inspiring, Cass said. "Despite the personal challenges he faced, he demonstrated a remarkable capacity for resilience and growth. Through our work together, I witnessed him blossom into a confident and capable individual, excelling in his academics and socially, and finding direction in life," she said. "Daniel’s journey reinforced my perspective that by creating and providing an environment that is supportive, nurturing, and empowering, individuals can flourish and move toward the best versions of themselves." Cass has spent 10 years at ISD, specialising in research, counselling and psychological risk assessment related to violent extremism. This involves evaluating a person's risk, vulnerability and protective factors to determine their likelihood of re-engaging in terrorism-related activities. Cass (not her real name), an intelligence psychologist with the Internal Security Department, pictured on Sep 10, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Mak Jia Kee) ISD warned earlier this week that the terrorism threat to Singapore remains high, with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East contributing to a volatile global security environment and elevating the terrorism threat worldwide.It noted in its report that Singapore and its interests remain attractive targets for terrorists.What would it take to prepare people psychologically in the event of a real attack without causing panic or fear?To this, Ms Tan from the Home Team Psychology Division said balance is key. "Fear can be a good thing because if there's no fear then people will not feel that there is a need to do anything, so there needs to be a certain level of fear," she said. "But ... how to do it without unnecessarily causing fear? It needs a very balanced approach, and I would say a lot of it is mental preparation, preparing people for the possibility that this may happen."