Man charged for claiming he wanted to bomb S’pore
SINGAPORE — A mental patient who dialled 999 to say he wanted to join the Islamic State (ISIS) and bomb Singapore had his charge of making false threats of terrorist acts downgraded yesterday, to that of giving false information.
Lee Soo Liang, 37, was also sentenced to 24 months’ mandatory treatment.
The court heard that Lee became a full-time resident of Simei Care Centre — a residential centre for persons with psychiatric disabilities — in 2007, after being diagnosed with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.
On the morning of Nov 15 last year, Lee used his mobile phone to call the police emergency line and told the officer on the line: “I want to join ISIS. I want to bomb Singapore.” He also provided his name and location. Lee also told the officer he made the call as he wanted to be sent to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) or to jail.
After being arrested, Lee admitted that he had made the call to make the false threat because he did not want to stay at the centre any longer.
Prosecutors told the court that while Lee is aware of ISIS, he had “absolutely no intention to join ISIS or bomb Singapore” and had made the hoax call hoping it would land him in IMH or jail. Investigations also showed he was not in communication with anybody linked to ISIS and that he did not know nor have the means to make a bomb.
A IMH report said Lee suffers from schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder. Over the past few years, he has been compliant with his treatment regimen and his mental state was also stable at the time of offence.
While Lee’s case manager said he was “generally well-behaved and compliant”, he had “intermittently told others about his preoccupation” that staff at the centre were displeased with him.
A fellow resident at the centre also said Lee had mentioned his desire to go to IMH — where his mother had been admitted — or to jail a few days prior to the incident.
For his offence, Lee could have been jailed up to three years or fined up to S$10,000 or both.
