Terrorism (Suppression of Misuse of Radioactive Material) Act to Come into Force on 1 September 2017

The Terrorism (Suppression of Misuse of Radioactive Material) Act, which was passed in Parliament on 8 May 2017, will be brought into operation on 1 September 2017.  The Act gives effect to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), which will enter into force in Singapore on the same day.

2.     With the Act coming into force, it will be an offence to commit the following acts which are proscribed under ICSANT:

a.     Intentional and unlawful possession of any radioactive material, or intentional and unlawful possession or making of any Convention device[1], with the intention to use the material or device to cause the death of or serious bodily injury to any individual, or substantial damage to property or the environment;

b.        Intentional and unlawful use of any radioactive material or Convention device, with the intention to –

(i) cause the death of or serious bodily injury to any individual, or substantial damage to property or the environment; or

(ii) compel any other person, international organisation or government to do or refrain from doing any act;

c.             Intentional and unlawful use or damage of a nuclear facility, that causes, or creates a risk of, the release of radioactive material, with the intention to –

(i) cause the death of or serious bodily injury to any individual, or substantial damage to property or the environment; or

(ii) compel any other person, international organisation or government to do or refrain from doing any act;

d.      Attempting to commit, or to cause to be committed, any offence mentioned in sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c);

e.            Threatening to do any act mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) or (c);

f.            Intentionally and unlawfully demanding, by using force or threats, that another person make available, or give access to, any radioactive material, Convention device or nuclear facility.

3.     For more information, please refer to:

Second Reading Speech on the Terrorism (Suppression of Misuse of Radioactive Material) Bill

[1] A Convention device is any nuclear explosive device or any radioactive material dispersal or radiation-emitting device which may, owing to its radiological properties, cause death, serious bodily injury or substantial damage to property or to the environment.