Singapore: A Singapore citizen of Indian origin was formally charged on Monday for issuing a false terrorist threat at a church, an incident that led to the cancellation of all religious services on Sunday.
The accused, 26-year-old Kokulananthan Mohan, was charged under Regulation 8(2)(a) of the United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations following the discovery of a suspicious object at St Joseph's Church in the Upper Bukit Timah area, a location that includes an affluent residential neighbourhood. The case was reported by the news agency PTI, quoting Channel News Asia.
According to court documents, Kokulananthan allegedly placed three cardboard tubes inside the church at around 7:11 am. The items reportedly contained stone pebbles and exposed red wires, secured together with black and yellow adhesive tape. Authorities stated that the placement of these objects was meant to make others believe they could explode or catch fire, thereby posing a risk of injury or damage to property.
In a statement released on Monday, the Singapore Police Force said preliminary findings indicate that the suspect had deliberately staged the situation by installing a homemade object designed to resemble an improvised explosive device within the church compound.
Police confirmed that Kokulananthan acted on his own and emphasised that there is currently no evidence linking the incident to religious hatred or terrorism.
The accused has been remanded for three weeks to undergo a psychiatric assessment and is expected to appear in court again on January 12. During the court proceedings, Kokulananthan stated that a previous hospital admission was related to alcohol consumption and claimed that his behavior noted by officers was due to severe fatigue caused by working night shifts. The presiding judge said these claims would be examined during the psychiatric evaluation.
If found guilty, Kokulananthan could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years, a fine of up to SGD 500,000 (approximately USD 386,757), or both penalties.
