Iran-backed militia commander made repeated bids to visit Singapore, says ISD

Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD) revealed on Thursday that an Iranian-backed militia commander, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, made multiple attempts to enter Singapore over the past two years. The ISD stated that Al-Saadi, who is currently in US custody awaiting trial, applied for visas to visit Singapore three times in 2023 and 2024, but ultimately did not travel to the country.

The ISD believes Al-Saadi may have traveled to other parts of Southeast Asia during this period. The agency warned that should Al-Saadi have attempted to enter Singapore, he would have been denied entry due to the stringent security measures in place. The ISD also expressed concern that Al-Saadi's possible travel to the region could have been for terrorist purposes, posing a threat to Singapore and US-Israeli/Jewish interests.

The ISD is collaborating with intelligence partners to investigate Al-Saadi's activities. The case serves as a reminder of how conflicts in the Middle East have increased the risk of terrorism in Southeast Asia, with the activities of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated groups elevating the threat.

US authorities have identified Al-Saadi as a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, a designated terrorist organization linked to the IRGC, who directed attacks on US and Israeli interests and called for the killing of Americans and Jews. Kataeb Hezbollah has denied Al-Saadi's membership in the group. Southeast Asia has experienced militant attacks in the past, such as the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people.