Escape of JI leader: How can this happen in S'pore?

Mas Selamat, who heads the Singapore JI terror network, escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre on Wednesday, sparking an island-wide manhunt. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

MANY Singaporeans reacted to news of the escape of JI leader Mas Selamat Kastari from a high-security detention centre with disbelief and incredulity.

This posting from Jordan Tan in the straitstimes.com discussion board aptly summed up the reaction of many others: 'Hello, this is Singapore. How can this happen?'

Added cc1034: 'How can a highly dangerous person escape from a highly secured prison?'

Another disbelieving reader, who goes by the monicker howaiyee, said: 'Security at the detention centre is 'tight'. He walks with a limp. Yet he managed to escape. What a shame!'

'How can we feel safe anymore?' said a worried Lim Boon Hee.

Mas Selamat, 47, who heads the Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah terror network, escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre at 4.05 pm on Wednesday, sparking an island-wide manhunt involving thousands of police, SAF, Gurkha and Special Operations Command forces.

The Straits Times online discussion board has also been buzzing with readers' comments, with postings coming in at 3 am in the morning. As at 2.15 pm, there were 186 postings on this issue, with 16,528 views.

Many readers expressed concern about the breach of security which allowed the terror leader to slip away.

Said raymond_lo: 'I feel throughly let down by our security men.'

A user who signed off as a 'terrified student from SCGS', said she would not be going to school on Thursday.

Several also urged the authorities to provide more information about the escape.

Said shean777: 'Please, Home Affairs Minister, say something or more importantly, DO something!'

Indeed, a user who went by the name lib27 put it bluntly: 'The whole Singapore is waiting for an answer.'

Many readers also offered tips and advice to catch the JI leader.

Suggested mr.speakersir: 'Perhaps the authorities might seriously warn Singaporeans and whoever else in Singapore about the cosequences of sheltering him.. and whoever provides leads to his whereabouts and subsequent capture should be rewarded ... Singaporeans just love rewards!' He also suggested plastering his picture island-wide, terming it the 'great Singapore terrorist hunt.'

A reader readi suggested a CCTV system that could hook up images of all passengers in taxis that could be beamed to a centralised system.

Many also rallied Singaporeans to pitch in the search for the wanted man.

Reader jchlee urged 'all to keep a lookout for this damn fella, and help the SPF nab him before he really wreaks havoc in Singapore.'

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