Church volunteer arrested after hoax device found at St Joseph’s Church

A 26-year-old church volunteer was arrested under Singapore’s United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations after a suspicious item was discovered at St Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah on the morning of 21 December.

The police were alerted to the incident at 7.10am and quickly secured the area, evacuating the premises to ensure public safety. The man, a volunteer at the church, claimed to have found the object in a drain, before immobilising himself and holding on to it.

Authorities, including the Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive (CBRE) Defence Group and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), were deployed to assess the item.

At approximately 10.40am, it was found to consist of three cardboard rolls and wires taped with black tape—no explosive elements were detected.

The police confirmed that the object resembled an improvised explosive device but was in fact harmless. It was safely removed and the police cordon was lifted by 5.10pm. No injuries were reported.

Following the arrest, the man was escorted in handcuffs at about 1.45pm to a white multi-purpose vehicle. Police were later seen inspecting the vehicle's boot and interior. Crime scene investigators departed the church just after 5pm, after completing their work.

All masses at the church were cancelled for the day, with congregants redirected to nearby churches such as the Church of St Mary of the Angels in Bukit Batok. Services resumed on 22 December as announced on the church’s website.

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is also the Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC where the church is located, visited the scene and later thanked the police, SAF CBRE, SCDF, and church volunteers for their “quick, calm and resolute response”.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim described the incident as “deeply concerning” and expressed relief that the item was not dangerous. He emphasised that places of worship must remain safe spaces and condemned any act that threatens Singapore’s multiracial and multi-religious harmony.

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo also expressed gratitude to the authorities and community members for their vigilance. He reinforced the need to protect Singapore’s societal cohesion as a unified people.

The incident occurred just over a year after a separate attack at the same church. In November 2024, Father Christopher Lee was stabbed by a man during mass. That assailant, a 37-year-old man, was believed to have acted alone, and terrorism was ruled out by the authorities. A month later, another individual was found in possession of a folding knife at the church and was also investigated.

In a message issued on 21 December, Father Lee apologised to parishioners for the disruption and advised them to attend services elsewhere. He was praised by Dr Balakrishnan for his calm leadership during the incident.

Investigations into the motives and circumstances behind the latest event are ongoing.