Man arrested in Singapore for threatening PM Lee on social media, following assassination of Shinzo Abe

Singapore, July 9

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Authorities in Singapore have arrested a 45-year-old man for inciting violence by posting a comment on Facebook against Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, media reports said on Saturday.

The threat was found in the comments section of web portal Channel News Asia’s Facebook page on a post regarding the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Police said they received a report at 3.10 pm on Friday, regarding a threat of inciting violence against Prime Minister Lee, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

After investigations, police were able to establish the identity of the Facebook user and was arrested, police said. A laptop, a tablet and four mobile phones were seized.

Police investigations are ongoing, according to a Channel News Asia report.

Anyone convicted of the offence of making or communicating any electronic record containing any incitement to violence faces up to five years’ jail, a fine, or both, the report said.

Prime Minister Lee on Friday slammed Abe’s assassination as a “senseless act of violence.” “Mr. Abe is a good friend of Singapore. I had just hosted him for lunch in May, on my visit to Tokyo. My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Abe and his family,” Lee said on Facebook.

Abe, 67, was assassinated on Friday on a street in western Japan by a gunman who opened fire on him from behind as he delivered a campaign speech.