Syringe attacks in Malaysia and France: Random violence or terrorism?

Focus Malaysia

16 hours ago

THE syringe attack on the 12-year-old son of Pandan MP and former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, has shaken Malaysia. What initially appeared as a rare and bizarre incident now echoes a disturbing pattern witnessed abroad, notably in France.
In June 2025, during the Fête de la Musique festival, over 145 people across France reported being pricked with syringes in crowded public areas. In both cases, the weapon of fear was not a gun or bomb but a syringe.
When viewed together, the Rafizi incident and the mass needle attacks in France reveal an alarming global trend of unconventional, psychological violence that leaves behind not just physical uncertainty but emotional trauma.
The question we must now ask is: are these acts simply random criminality, or should they be treated with the gravity of terrorist attacks?
A pattern beyond borders
In France, the attacks spanned multiple cities, with 13 confirmed cases in Paris alone. Victims included women, men, and even minors, such as a 15-year-old girl.
Though the substances injected remain unverified, toxicology tests are underway, and fears revolve around drugs such as GHB or Rohypnol, often associated with date-rape or chemical incapacitation.
The sheer volume of incidents, the anonymity of the attackers, and the unpredictable nature of the assaults have led French authorities to treat the matter with utmost seriousness.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, the Rafizi case stands as a singular but deeply chilling event. In broad daylight in a Putrajaya mall parking lot, a young boy was grabbed and jabbed by a man who had trailed him on a motorcycle alongside an accomplice.
The motive remains unclear—was it politically driven intimidation, random violence, or something darker?
Though the French cases occurred during a high-traffic, high-visibility national celebration, and the Malaysian attack involved the child of a prominent politician, the underlying psychology is strikingly similar: both involve intimate, invasive forms of assault using needles.
The randomness, anonymity, and uncertainty around the consequences are designed not just to harm—but to terrorise.
The psychological weaponry of syringe attacks
Unlike overtly violent assaults, syringe attacks operate in the space of ambiguity. Victims are often left not knowing what they were injected with, what the long-term health effects might be, or whether they've been infected with a virus, drugged, or poisoned. The psychological impact—especially on minors—can be severe and enduring.
For Rafizi's son, the trauma is not only physical but deeply emotional. To be attacked while accompanied by his mother, in daylight, in a place generally perceived as safe, is a violation of personal and public security.
Similarly, French victims expressed confusion, fear, and helplessness, unsure if they were targeted, if others were next, or whether it was safe to even report the incident.
Such tactics blur the line between street-level crime and psychological warfare. They may not produce the immediate devastation of a bombing, but they inject fear—literally and metaphorically—into daily life.
They turn ordinary spaces like malls, festivals, or even sidewalks into zones of paranoia. This raises a critical question: should such acts now be classed as terrorism?
Is this terrorism?
By definition, terrorism is the use of violence or threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. In the case of Rafizi's son, the political connection is undeniable.
While no group has claimed responsibility, and the assailants remain unidentified, the targeting of a politician's child suggests more than just a random act. It feels calculated, intended to send a message.
In France, the scale and coordination—or at least the simultaneity—of the attacks suggest premeditation. Social media posts reportedly called for women to be targeted with syringes, indicating a form of ideological or social motivation, even if misguided.
Whether for misogynistic thrill-seeking, protest, or something more insidious, the intent seems to be the same: to cause fear, vulnerability, and disruption of social norms.
If the purpose of terrorism is to destabilize the psychological safety of a population, then these syringe attacks meet that bar. The ambiguity of the weapon—its medical, non-lethal appearance—adds to the confusion. A gun or knife announces itself; a syringe hides in plain sight.
The global rise of micro-terrorism?
This type of attack may mark the emergence of what could be termed 'micro-terrorism'—low-profile, low-tech assaults that bypass traditional security systems yet achieve a similar impact on public psychology.
One attacker, one syringe, and a crowd of people can generate a ripple of panic that far outweighs the scale of the act itself.
Governments and law enforcement agencies need to adapt. In Malaysia, the Rafizi incident cannot be dismissed as a one-off.
The fact that such an assault occurred in a city known for government infrastructure and heightened surveillance—Putrajaya—is deeply troubling. If a child of a political leader is unsafe in broad daylight, what does that mean for the average citizen?
In France, authorities are taking the threat seriously, opening investigations and conducting toxicology tests. However, the public is still left in the dark, uncertain whether these attacks are isolated pranks, orchestrated harassment, or emerging terrorism.
Moving beyond politics
This is not merely a political issue—it's a societal one. Attacks like these undermine the public's fundamental right to safety in shared spaces.
Whether in Kuala Lumpur or Paris, in a parking lot or a festival, people should not have to scan their surroundings in fear of invisible weapons wielded by strangers.
Both Malaysia and France must begin treating such assaults not just as criminal offenses, but as potential acts of terror. The intent to inflict fear and chaos—particularly in a public, symbolic, or familial context—places them within a broader scope of threats to national security.
A call for rethinking security
The Rafizi case, while singular, demands as much urgency as France's broader wave of incidents. Public spaces need to be reevaluated not just for their physical security but for psychological safety.
Law enforcement must develop protocols that address the subtle yet devastating impact of syringe attacks, and toxicology capacities must be expanded to handle such cases swiftly.
Above all, governments must ensure that children, women, and vulnerable individuals do not become easy targets in an age of evolving and insidious forms of violence.
When fear can be delivered with a needle, it is time we take notice and act accordingly—before these micro-terrors become the new norm. ‒ Aug 15, 2025
R Paneir Selvam is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
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