Suspicious Item at St. Joseph’s Church Leads to Terror Threat Charge
A 26-year-old Singaporean man has been charged with making a false terrorist threat after a suspicious item was discovered at St. Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah. Kokulananthan Mohan faces charges under Regulation 8(2)(a) of the United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations.
The incident unfolded on Sunday morning when authorities were alerted to a suspicious item found within the church premises. Preliminary investigations indicate that Mohan allegedly fabricated an object resembling an improvised explosive device and placed it inside the church.
Details of the Alleged Threat
According to the charge sheets, Mohan is accused of placing three cardboard rolls, described as being “filled with stone pebbles and sporting protruding red wires, held together using black and yellow adhesive tapes,” within the church at approximately 7:10 AM on Sunday. This act was allegedly intended to deceive Richard Lee Leong Hee, a 66-year-old church volunteer, into believing the item was a functional explosive device capable of causing injury or property damage.
Police Response and Investigation
The Singapore Police Force stated in a press release on Monday that “preliminary investigations suggest that the man had allegedly staged the incident by placing a self-fabricated item which resembled an improvised explosive device within the church premises.” The police emphasized that “he is believed to have acted alone and there is currently no evidence to suggest that it was a religiously motivated attack or an act of terror.”
Upon receiving the report of a suspicious item, the police swiftly secured the area and evacuated the church premises as a precautionary measure. The Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Explosive Defence Group was also deployed to conduct a thorough assessment of the object.
The Suspicious Item Assessed
After meticulous examination, the item was determined to be composed of three cardboard rolls and wires taped together with black tape. Crucially, no explosive elements were found to be present. The object was subsequently removed from the scene by the police at approximately 10:40 AM.
The police cordon around the church was eventually lifted at 5:10 PM, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. All mass services scheduled for Sunday were cancelled, but the church announced that services would resume as normal from Monday.
Legal Proceedings and Psychiatric Evaluation
Kokulananthan Mohan was arrested under the aforementioned United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations. He has been remanded for three weeks to undergo psychiatric evaluation and is scheduled to appear in court again on January 12.
During his court appearance, Mohan initially expressed that a request for medical evaluation stemmed from a “miscommunication,” noting that his prior hospital admission was related to alcohol consumption, an issue he claimed was resolved. However, the judge clarified that the psychiatric evaluation was deemed necessary due to observations of Mohan’s conduct and behavior during his arrest and subsequent police operations.
Mohan then attributed his behavior to a “lack of sleep” due to working a night shift. The judge advised him to discuss these explanations with the psychiatrist during his evaluation.
Potential Penalties
If convicted, Kokulananthan Mohan faces severe penalties, including a jail sentence of up to 10 years, a fine of up to S$500,000 (approximately US$387,000), or both.
The incident underscores the ongoing vigilance required to maintain public safety and the serious consequences associated with actions that cause alarm and disrupt community life.
