SINGAPORE – An Internal Security Act (ISA) detention order has been issued against a Singaporean man for acting as a paid agent of a foreign state, with effect from January 29, according to the Singapore Internal Security Department (ISD) today.
The department said it arrested Dickson Yeo on December 30 last year following his deportation from the United States (US), where he had admitted to and was charged in the US Federal Court for acting within the US as an illegal agent of a foreign power without first notifying the attorney-general.
“ISD’s investigations established that Yeo had worked for the intelligence apparatus of a foreign state and carried out various tasks given to him by his foreign handlers in exchange for monetary gains,” said the department in a statement posted on the Home Affairs Ministry website.
It said Yeo admitted to being fully aware that his foreign handlers are working for the intelligence apparatus of the foreign state.
“He was tasked to source for information and provide reports on issues of interest to his foreign handlers, including information relating to Singapore.”
Towards this end, ISD said Yeo had approached various individuals in the republic to obtain information for the purpose of writing his reports.
He had set up a front company as a cover for his information-gathering activities as well as recruitment for his foreign handlers, it added.
“Yeo had also tried, but failed, to secure employment in the Singapore government sector to further his information-gathering activities. He had carried out these activities from 2016 until his arrest in the US in 2019.”
ISD noted that investigations are ongoing and Yeo’s continued detention is necessary to facilitate investigations into the full extent of his activities. – Bernama, June 15, 2021
