SINGAPORE, Dec 21 — A 26-year-old church volunteer was arrested today over a suspicious item found at St Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah, Singapore, after police said the object — which resembled an improvised explosive device (IED) — was later assessed to contain no explosive elements.
The Singapore Police Force said it was alerted to the incident at about 7.10am after receiving a call for assistance regarding a suspicious item at the church, located at 620 Upper Bukit Timah Road.
According to police, the man told officers he had discovered the item in a drain within the church premises.
He then “immobilised himself and held on to the suspicious item”.
“For public safety, the police secured the area while the premises were evacuated,” the force said in a Facebook statement, adding that the Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group was activated to conduct further assessment.
Following “thorough checks”, police said the item — which “resembled an improvised explosive device” — was assessed at about 10.40am to be “three cardboard rolls and wires taped with black tape with no explosive elements present”. The item was subsequently removed from the scene.
Despite the all-clear, police operations continued into the afternoon. At about 1.45pm, a handcuffed man wearing a blue shirt was seen being escorted out of the church compound to a nearby car park, Singapore-based media organisation CNA reported.
Officers later searched a parked white car believed to be linked to him.
Just before 3pm, police were seen examining several items retrieved from the vehicle’s boot, including two toolboxes.
A police crime scene investigation van left the church shortly after 5pm. Officers stationed outside the main entrance later moved back into the compound, and the gates were closed. Police said operations concluded and the cordon was lifted at about 5.15pm. No injuries were reported.
The male volunteer was arrested under Section 8(2)(a) of the United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations for his suspected involvement in the incident. Investigations are ongoing.
Earlier in the day, the church was evacuated as a precaution, with officers directing vehicles away and barring entry. Church volunteers informed worshippers that Mass had been cancelled and redirected congregants to the Church of St Mary of the Angels in Bukit Batok, while scheduled services at St Joseph’s Church were called off.
The incident comes amid heightened security sensitivity at the church, which was the site of a stabbing during Mass in November last year and a separate knife-related incident a month later.
Police thanked members of the public “for their patience, understanding and cooperation during the incident”.