Singaporeans must be prepared for a successful terrorist strike, Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan warned Friday, saying militants would not let up until they exploded a bomb in the city-state.
Tan said he was worried complacency was creeping in and urged people to be realistic and prepare for the worst.
"We are an iconic target. If terrorists can mount a successful attack on Singapore it will make headlines," said Tan, who is also coordinating minister for Security and Defense.
"We are doing everything we can to prevent a terrorist attack in Singapore but we know [terrorists] will always try. One of these days they will get through and there will be an attack in Singapore.
"We should not let it devastate us. We will recover, life will carry on, but we have to be prepared for it," he told reporters after addressing a seminar on national security. Singapore says it crippled a cell of the Southeast Asia-based Jemaah Islamiyah in 2001 and detained several militants plotting to blow up the US embassy as well as other foreign and local targets using truck bombs.
The al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah is blamed for the October 2002 bombing that killed 202 people in the Indonesian island of Bali and for numerous other blasts. It is believed to have training camps in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
In a campaign aimed at preparing Singaporeans, Tan launched a book entitled The Fight Against Terror which outlines the terrorist threat and a blueprint of the country's response, including the crucial role played by the public.
"We have to be realistic about it. If an attack does occur, it will be a shock, but I think we will be more ready to deal with the shock if we anticipate the consequences," Tan said.
Authorities can "deal effectively" with terrorist strikes using explosives, chemical weapons or biological agents.
"But there is only so much we can do to prepare people. The final test will be when it actually comes," the minister said.
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