Singapore man pleads guilty of vandalizing war monument

A security officer pleaded guilty Monday of vandalizing the Cenotaph war monument in Singapore. Mohamad Khalid Mohamad Yusop, 33, painted an "X" with a can of red spray paint, followed by the word "Democracy" on the monument on the night of April 23 this year, a deputy public prosecutor told the court. The paint had been bought to repaint his kitchen cabinet, but the man decided later that he wanted to use it to spray an "X" at a location that could be seen by the public. Two witnesses saw him commit the act. When confronted by one of them, Khalid said it was art. He threw the can of spray paint into the river near the Esplanade after leaving the scene. He was arrested a few days later on April 27. In mitigation, Khalid's lawyer Choo Zheng Xi said his client was "deeply remorseful" and wished to apologize unreservedly to the descendants of the war dead and to all Singaporeans for the " foolish and gravely insensitive" act. Choo added that it was never Khalid's intention to make a political statement and that his actions occurred in dissatisfaction with his family situation that he didn't know how to deal with. Khalid is out on bail and will be sentenced on Aug. 26. He could face a jail term of up to three years and caning. The Cenotaph in Singapore, or empty tomb, was completed in 1922 to honor soldiers who gave their lives in the two World Wars.