21 January 2002 0027 hrs (GMT) 0827 hrs (SST) Flush out radical groups seeking to polarise society: Wong Kan Seng by S Ramesh
Mr Wong Kan Seng

Any radical group in Singapore that tries to polarise society or turn a community against state or national interests must be flushed out, said Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng.

He stressed this when asked by the media to comment on the need for ministers and Malay Muslim leaders to rebut recent statements made by the Fateha group.

Fateha had blamed the government for the suspected terrorism activities of the 15 men arrested under the Internal Security Act.

Mr Wong's responses were made at a grassroots function in Bishan-Toa Payoh on Sunday.

Even though Fateha.dot com's reach in cyberspace may be limited, Mr Wong warned that some may believe its views after a while.

But it is clearly "nonsense", he said, for Fateha to say it was the government's support of American action against terrorism which caused a small group of Singaporeans to be involved in terrorism related activities here.

The minister said: "So it is necessary to bring them out so that people know what sort of characters these fringe groups really are. Is it really a big group or is it a minority and who are the leaders of this group? People must understand the agenda and motive of this group then our society can be better protected from the views of people like them".

The minister was also asked whether Fateha's members would be investigated under the ISA for its statements.

He replied: "Well that is a matter to be decided later. I'm not saying that will be the case but we will watch this group carefully and if action is needed we will take it".

The Minister also rebutted a view in some foreign media that Singapore only cracked down on the suspected terrorists because of information from the US.

Mr Wong said: "We have to make it clear that we have our own national interests to defend and we have to protect our society from any acts of terror...You don't need to have a bomb to explode first before you say let's catch them. I think to wait for a bomb to explode and people die as a result of it and then we act, people would say that the government has not taken on its responsibilities fully. It is just a dereliction of duties. We cannot afford to do that."

The Home Affairs Minister pointed out that the government has to deal with anyone who tries to cause mischief, harm or death in Singapore and harm the interests of Singapore.

Asked if the terrorist suspect arrested in the Philippines - one who has been linked to the ISA detainees here - would be extradited, Mr Wong said he would be dealt with according to Philippine laws.

As for the Singaporean arrested in Afghanistan by the Northern Alliance, efforts are underway to extradite him.

Mr Wong also said the White Paper on the ISA arrests is unlikely to be ready for Parliamentary sittings in March.

That is because the ISA Advisory Board has yet to meet and if the detainees wish to make representations, they need time to do so.

The Board must meet within three months of last December's arrests.