Al-Istiqamah Mosque in Serangoon North evacuated after suspicious parcel delivered to its premises

SINGAPORE - The Al-Istiqamah Mosque in Serangoon North was evacuated on Sept 24 after a suspicious parcel was delivered to its premises.

The police said they were alerted to the incident at 2 Serangoon North Avenue 2 at about 5.20pm.

The mosque was evacuated as a precautionary measure, they added.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for assistance at about 5.45pm and that its hazardous materials (hazmat) specialists were investigating.

No hazardous substances were found after they conducted checks using detectors at the scene, it said in a later update.

“SCDF assessed a person for breathlessness,” it said, adding that the person was taken to Sengkang General Hospital.

The police have advised the public to avoid areas near the mosque.

In a Facebook post at about 9pm, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said it was aware that the mosque received a suspicious parcel.

It added that police investigations are ongoing and it is working closely with the authorities on the matter.

In a Facebook post at about 11pm, Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong thanked the authorities and mosque staff for their quick response and said that he was relieved everyone was safe.

Ms Chan Hui Yuh, the adviser to Aljunied grassroots organisations, said in a Facebook post at about 10.20pm that she was deeply concerned about the safety of the mosque congregation and residents in the area.

“I am keeping close watch on the situation. In the meantime, I advise residents to stay away from the area during this period,” she said.

“This act, if intentional, is unacceptable in multi-religious Singapore,” she added.

The Al-Istiqamah Mosque was completed in May 1999 and can accommodate up to 3,300 people, according to the Muis website.