Man, 40, to be charged over false bomb threats targeting Parliament House and HTX

Man, 40, to be charged over false bomb threats targeting Parliament House and HTX Police conducted thorough checks of both locations, including systematic sweeps of the buildings and surrounding areas, but did not find any “items of security concern”. SINGAPORE: A 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly making two false bomb threats targeting the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) building and Parliament House. The man is suspected of communicating false information about a harmful thing after allegedly sending two bomb threats on separate occasions, the police said on Wednesday (Jul 8). On Jul 3, HTX received an online form submission claiming that a bomb had been placed in its building. According to HTX's website, the agency is located on the 12th floor of 1 Stars Avenue, which also houses Mediacorp. Four days later, police said it received a report that an anonymous email was sent to the Prime Minister's Office claiming that a bomb had been planted at Parliament House. The police conducted thorough checks of both premises, including systematic sweeps of the buildings and their surroundings, but did not find any “items of security concern”. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Central Police Division later established that both threats had been allegedly sent by the same person. The man was arrested on Tuesday, and several electronic devices believed to have been used to make the threats were seized. He will be charged in court on Thursday with communicating false information of a harmful thing. If convicted, he may face a jail term of up to seven years, a fine of up to S$50,000 (US$38,600), or both. The police said they treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats, noting that such acts can create public anxiety and divert valuable public resources to investigations.