The terrorism threat has grown more severe due to the returning foreignfighters from Syria or Iraq, a trend that could potentially continueinto the next decades.

The statement was made by SingaporeanDeputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at the East Asia Symposium onReligious Rehabilitation and Social Integration held in the city stateon April 16.

According to the Deputy PM, who is also Home AffairsMinister, the rise of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria hasexploited Islam, distorting religious tenets to serve a violentpolitical agenda.

The Deputy PM said the new generation offoreign fighters will pose an international security threat for decadesto come, able to carry out attacks on their own in their home countriesor form terrorist groups after leaving the civil war regions in theMiddle East.

Many individuals, especially the youth, have fallen prey to IS propaganda, he added.

TheDeputy PM stressed that a purely military response to such a threat isinsufficient and social integration is a crucial element in the overalleffort to neutralise terrorism in the long-term.

He also noted that a common characteristic among radicalised individuals is weak religious grounding.

Theevent on religious rehabilitation and social integration broughttogether experts and practitioners in terrorist rehabilitation from morethan 30 countries worldwide.-VNA