Saw Ryan Htoo, a 23-year-old Myanmar national and Singapore permanent resident, was charged on July 29, 2026, with terrorism financing offences involving transfers to support attacks in Gaza City [1, 2, 3]. Authorities discovered that on August 9, 2024, he sent US$72.28 (S$93) to a PayPal account controlled by Bradley Sainsbury to facilitate a terrorist act in Gaza [1, 2, 3]. Around August 19, 2024, he attempted to transfer an additional US$1 to another PayPal account owned by Meredith Pollick for the same purpose [1, 2, 3].
The Internal Security Department launched an investigation after extremist posts by Saw Ryan Htoo surfaced online [1]. Following Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, he developed a strong hatred of Muslims after exposure to Islamophobic material, and by early 2025 his hatred extended towards Jews amid consumption of far-right extremist and anti-Semitic content on social media, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs [1, 2, 3]. He also made social media posts endorsing violence against Jews, Muslims, immigrants to Europe, and the LGBT community [1, 2, 3].
Saw Ryan Htoo communicated with an overseas user on platform X, soliciting donations to buy military equipment for attacks in Gaza targeting Palestinians [1]. During the July 29 court hearing, prosecutors opposed bail citing his radicalisation and risk to public safety, and he was remanded pending the next hearing on August 21, 2026 [2, 3]. Saw Ryan Htoo declined to plead guilty and said, "I have social anxiety, and I will not be pleading guilty to my charges" [2].
Under Singapore law, those convicted of financing terrorism face up to S$500,000 in fines, up to 10 years imprisonment, or both [2, 3]. The Ministry of Home Affairs stated, "Terrorism and terrorist financing are grave threats to domestic and international security, and global action is required to deprive terrorist groups of funding and materials," and added, "We do not condone and will take firm action against individuals using Singapore as a base to conduct or support terrorist activities, whether locally or overseas" [2, 3].
Saw Ryan Htoo's next court hearing is scheduled for August 21, 2026 [2, 3].
