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Eleven days ago, on July 7th, terrorists attacked London. The facts of the London bomb blasts are now known.Four separate bombs, three in the subways and one on a bus, went off almost simultaneously.The casualty toll stands at more than 50 dead and over 800 injured.In Singapore, we were doubly shocked by the attack.First, it struck against a city and a country that had taken the terrorist threat seriously and prepared for it.Second, it struck London less than a day after that city was selected, in Singapore, to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
2 Given the sophistication of the attack, it was clear that the preparations for the attack must have required much effort and planning.In targeting the London transport system at peak hour, the attack was clearly intended to cause maximum casualties, disruption and chaos.The attack appears to have been timed to coincide with the opening of the G8 Summit in order to create maximum publicity.
3 The attack on London was a wicked act by evil men.We condemn this cruel and ultimately senseless act.We are deeply saddened by the loss of many innocent lives.The Government and people of Singapore have conveyed our deepest sympathies to the people of London and the United Kingdom.Singapore also conveyed its strong support for Britain in the fight against terror.In this hour of darkness, the British people showed courage and resilience.
4 We applaud the efforts of the UK government in managing the consequences of the attack.We were impressed by the swift and well-co-ordinated response of the emergency agencies in the immediate aftermath of the incident and by the determination of Prime Minister Tony Blair and the British Government to return London to a state of normalcy.
5 Within four hours of the attack all the survivors had been evacuated and the London public transport system had been shut down.Government officials held joint press conferences and gave systematic updates on the situation to calm the public.By the next morning, July 8th, most of the light railway and surface rail had resumed operations in East London and buses had begun to run.Roads, previously closed, had re-opened except for those in the immediate vicinity of the attacks.The underground rail network also resumed partial operations but with added security measures such as sniffer dogs and extra patrols.
6 The July 7th attack underscores the persistence of the global menace of transnational terrorism.While many key operatives of the terrorist network of Al-Qaeda and its affiliates have been arrested over the last few years, the threat has not been eliminated.Instead, Al-Qaeda has morphed into a loose franchise of terror inspiring the emergence of new groups of fanatics.The London attack confirmed that all countries in the world, including Singapore, face a clear and present threat of terrorism.Our common fight against transnational terrorism must continue.It will be a long struggle and we need to be prepared for a protracted campaign.
SECURITY MEASURES
7 Over the last few years, my colleagues and I have been actively thinking and working to reduce the likelihood of such terrorist attacks occurring in Singapore.The terrorist threat we face is not ordinary.On various occasions in this House and at dialogue sessions, I have explained how the terrorist threat today is qualitatively different from the terrorist threat of the past, and hence requires a different and strategic response. We live in a different world today.Globalization is a fact of life that we cannot escape.Indeed, globalization must be embraced if we are to benefit from the globally interconnected economy.But there is a dark side to globalization as well - a transnational terrorism that operates on the same autonomous global networking.The terrorist threat today comprises a network of cells, groups and individuals residing in many countries linked often by personal friendship, inspired by a common extremist ideology and galvanized to deadly action by a radical mentor.This is a new challenge in the realm of security which all countries in the world have to confront today.
8 On May 16th, I spoke to members of the House about the broad range of measures the government has instituted across sectors such as aviation security, maritime security, cyber security and border control, and the steps we have taken to strengthen our critical infrastructure and protect Singapore against chemical, biological, radiological and explosives threats.
9 Today, I would like to brief Members on the measures that the Government has taken to protect Singapore’s transportation system against a terrorist threat.The Government stepped up the security of our public transportation network as a precaution immediately after the attacks in London took place.The National Security Coordination Secretariat in the Prime Minister’s Office worked with agencies in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Transport to review and enhance our security measures where necessary.
10 Post 9-11, we stepped up security measures across all our major sectors, including our public security systems.Even before the April 2004 Madrid train attacks, MHA, MOT and LTA together with our security agencies have been progressively enhancing the security of our public transport systems and hardening its infrastructure.In April last year, we formed the Public Transport Security Committee to study what other measures could be taken to protect our commuters’ safety.Since then, even more has been done to strengthen the security of our MRT and bus networks.Our security agencies have been working with the public transport providers since the Madrid bomb blasts of March 2004 to prevent an attack on our trains and buses and to prepare them to deal with an incident, if one should occur.
11 Our Internal Security Department (ISD) has no specific intelligence to indicate terrorist attacks in Singapore are about to take place.But we should bear in mind that the Jemaah Islamiyah had previously planned to attack MRT stations here.This makes the work of the Public Transport Security Committee critical.The Committee monitors prevailing security threats to Singapore’s public transport system and enhances existing security measures.The Committee has since August 2004 developed plans to deploy transit security guards to MRT stations and bus interchanges.A Police MRT unit has been set up and will be deployed from August 2005.CCTV coverage for MRT stations and trains will continue to be enhanced.An MRT security audit framework has been implemented.We are continuing efforts to boost commuter vigilance and are conducting exercises to validate contingency plans in a multiple simultaneous attack scenario.
12 In the immediate aftermath of the London bomb blasts, our Police HQ Command Post quickly initiated action by police units.Police patrols were stepped up at all MRT stations.The MRT operators increased the number of checks done on commuters.As London and other cities implement more measures to detect and prevent terrorist attacks, we must do likewise.For example, we are planning the deployment of Explosive Detection Dog teams at MRT stations to carry our surprise checks.We will also install CCTV at bus interchanges for better surveillance.
NATIONAL RESILIENCE
13 The London attack underlines the point that no one is immune from the threat of transnational terrorism.The UK Government has a robust security architecture and professional service in dealing with terrorism.Yet, even a city as hardened and prepared as London became victim to terrorist attacks.The next target could well be Singapore.I would like to urge all Singaporeans to be psychologically prepared, and vigilant.I am glad to note that, in recent months, there has been an increase in the number of reports made to the security agencies by members of the public about suspicious activities and bags left unattended.It shows that our people can be alert when jolted out of their comfort zone.This does not mean that we should live in fear or that we should be paranoid about every single item left unattended in public places.Rather, it is about taking ownership of our well-being.We must share the conviction that together we can defeat any attacks against us.As I have often said, it is not just the Government’s fight.It is Singapore’s fight against terrorism.
14 But winning the fight against terrorism does not mean that there will not be an attack.Even with the best preparation and the most comprehensive security measures, an attack is possible and can take place without specific warning.How we conduct ourselves in the aftermath of a terrorist attack will be a major test of our national resilience and our mettle as a people.We need to remain resolute in the face of terrorism.The people of London have proven to be tenacious and unyielding.Time and again we have seen how important the resilience of our people is in the face of an attack.This is best epitomized by the reactions of many Londoners.When asked about how they are coping with the terrorist attack, one Londoner put it this way, “I think the idea is to get back to normal as quickly as possible.That’s the best way to show them [the terrorists] it isn’t going to work.”The response of the whole British society - the victims and their families, the British people, the emergency responding, the media, Government and politicians - all rallied and refused to be cowed by the terrorists.London will prevail.So too must Singapore.
15 The reactions and responses of Singaporeans to the terrorist attacks in London are encouraging.They now recognise that security measures, which were previously regarded as onerous, are now a necessary fact of life.Many supported the widening of security measures to protect Singapore.
SOCIAL COHESION AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
16 Social cohesion across various ethnic and religious groups in Singapore is an integral part of our national resilience as a nation.We should be alert to the impact of a terrorist attack on the social fabric of our nation.The British authorities have identified the perpetrators of the London blasts and they are four young, Muslim British citizens.Three of them were born in Britain of Pakistani descent.The fourth was an immigrant of Jamaican descent.Let me say categorically at this point that terrorism has nothing to do with the true faith of Islam.I cannot agree more with Prime Minister Tony Blair when he said, “Fanaticism is not a state of religion but a state of mind.”Let us not dignify these murderers by associating them with any great religious faith of the world.
17 At the same time, we should not take the strength of our social fabric for granted until it has been tested by fire.In the wake of an attack, a backlash against the Muslim community could split our country and lay to waste the decades of hard work we have put in into nurturing racial and religious harmony and in building up social resilience.All Singaporeans must be sensitive to this concern.For example, in the wake of the London bomb blasts, several arson attacks were reported in various parts of the UK, and the Muslim Council of Britain and Muslims in the UK received hate mail and threats.
18 The Singapore Muslim community has made great strides in forging a unique Muslim identity shaped by a deep conviction in Islam and fostered by Singapore’s unique context of a pluralistic and progressive society and a globalised and secular state.The Singapore Muslim identity is rooted in the principle that Muslims faithful to Islam can play an important and integrative role as active citizens in a secular Singapore.MUIS and other Malay/Muslim leaders are taking the lead in forging the Singapore Muslim identity.They will draw from the lessons we have learnt from the experiences of other Muslim communities.We will apply these lessons carefully as they relate to the context of the Singapore Muslim community.Some of these lessons have broader, universal appeal, for example, tolerance of diversity and the need to adapt one’s religious life to the unique context of the society and state we live in.
19 In May, I joined Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Minister Yaacob and President MUIS, Alami Musa, on a visit to Egypt and Turkey to have a first-hand look at the practice of Islam in these two countries.Egypt and in particular Al-Azhar University in Cairo is the cradle of Islamic scholarship and an icon of Islamic learning.Our visit to Egypt and our meetings with the Grand Mufti Dr Ali Jummah and Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Sheikh Tantawi reinforced the message of religious leaders in Singapore that Islam, as a religion of peace, is tolerant of diversity and is progressive and inclusive.I would encourage MUIS to share its observations of the Egyptian and Turkish Muslim communities with the public and of how the visits have helped reaffirm the validity of key principles in the Singapore Muslim identity.In general, the message that is conveyed by the Islamic scholars and leaders in these two countries is that each Muslim community has to decide on the unique way in which it should lead its religious life.Singapore’s context of a multi-religious society and modern, globalised and secular state is unique.It exerts an influence over the religious life of the Muslim community.
20 A Muslim community’s integration with other communities in a secular state is key to reducing suspicion and mistrust.A Muslim community’s denunciation of radical Islamic groups that perpetrate acts of terrorism will help other communities see that Islam is a religion of peace, that the vast majority of Muslims are peace loving and that Islam should not be tarnished by the acts of a small radical minority.This will help mitigate any backlash in the event of a terrorist attack. In this connection, I welcome the statements by MUIS and other Muslim groups in Singapore denouncing the attacks in London.
CONCLUSION
21 We have been fortunate that there have been no attacks on Singapore.But we cannot be complacent.The security agencies cannot be everywhere.The people of Singapore play a critical role in partnership with the government to keep Singapore safe and secure.They do so in three important ways.First, our people are the eyes and ears and the extended reach of the security agencies.In this regard, I would like to urge all members of the public to continue to be vigilant and to report suspicious articles, persons or activities to the security agencies.Second, our people are the arms and legs of the emergency response agencies.Singaporeans should take an active interest in life-saving skills and participate in emergency response exercises organized in their neighbourhoods and constituencies.Third, our people are the hearts and minds of the country.The psychological resilience of Singaporeans and the unity and harmony among the different communities are crucial to see Singapore through crises.
22 We can learn from the example set by Londoners in how they reacted and responded to the terrorist attacks of 7th July.They have remained resilient and defiant in the face of terrorism, and they have achieved a remarkable recovery.The Muslim community in the UK has contributed to the healing process and has worked hard with the other communities to strengthen the moderate voice of Islam.
23 Since 9-11, my colleagues and I have worked to upgrade the physical security protective measures in Singapore, review the strategic framework that facilitates greater coordination across Government agencies and cooperation internationally, raise the public’s awareness and enhance our collective resilience.However, we must be prepared for a long struggle.The fight against terror cannot be left to the Government alone.The nation must come together and stand up to the threat facing us.Only through sustained vigilance and unity can we secure our safety and security.
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