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  • Malaysia Arrests Foreign ISIS Operative In KL

    Malaysia Arrests Foreign ISIS Operative In KL

    KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A 31-year-old north African man was detained after operating for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group in Malaysia for about a year.

    The man, who entered the country using a forged student visa in March last year, obtained the visa from a syndicate operating in the Klang Valley.

    Sources revealed that the suspect purchased the forged visa for RM5,500 (S$1,960).

    “This is a new modus operandi for ISIS members. Instead of heading back to their home countries, these fighters are going to a third country like Malaysia for multiple reasons,” a source told The Star yesterday.

    Among the reasons were to set up a base of operations, become the link man for other operatives and to recruit more members.

    “The authorities discovered that the suspect had rented an apartment in Gombak.

    “He was enrolled to study at a public university but failed to attend classes. Instead, he worked multiple jobs, including as a cook and a masseur,” a source said.

    The suspect is also a casanova, having romanced single mothers in a bid to obtain a spousal visa.

    “At least two single mothers have been seduced by him,” a source said.

    The man, who was picked up by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division on June 9 here, is also on the Wanted List of a northern African security force.

    Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the suspect was previously detained in his home country for being involved in terror activities in 2007.

    “He was detained for two years. Then in 2013, the man went to Syria to join the ISIS,” he said in a statement yesterday.

    Tan Sri Khalid added that the man had managed to gain entry into Malaysia by using a forged student visa in March last year.

    “We believe he may have obtained the fake documents via a syndicate operating in the Klang Valley.

    “The student visa seems ‘complete’ with the name of the public university on the document.

    “We will investigate further to uncover the syndicate behind the forged documents.

    “Such documents in the hands of terrorists is simply dangerous for the country,” he said.

    He added that the suspect had been deported to his home country on Wednesday.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • ISIS Targeting Indonesia

    ISIS Targeting Indonesia

    Indonesia may be declared the next Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) province, said terrorism expert Professor Rohan Gunaratna.

    And when an area is declared a “province”, resources including foreign fighters move in and join local groups to impose ISIS’ will – this includes its vision of a caliphate.

    ISIS leader Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi had earlier declared only areas in and around the Middle East such as Sinai, Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen as “provinces”.

    Prof Gunaratna of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) said: “There is a misperception that the IS (another name for ISIS) threat is Syria- and Iraq-centric.

    “IS is going beyond its core area. It is sprinting while some governments are trying to play catch-up.”

    He said there are already several different groups affiliated to ISIS in South-east Asia. (See map on facing page.)

    And last year, Malaysian security authorities said four new terror groups were planning to create an Islamic caliphate to rule parts of South-east Asia, including Singapore.

    They planned to call it Daulah Islamiah Nusantara and it covers Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, southern Thailand and southern Philippines.

    All this makes it clear that ISIS’ aim is not just getting the self-radicalised – like M. Arifil Azim Putra Norja’i, the 19-year-old student who had planned to kill President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – to push its agenda.

    The big prize is Indonesia as a “province”, and exerting its influence in South-east Asia.

    WHAT PROOF IS THERE THAT ISIS IS REACHING INTO INDONESIA?

    Foreign fighters, including four Uighur men from Xinjiang province in China, were arrested in Indonesia last year.

    There are about 400 Uighurs in Syria fighting for ISIS.

    Then there is Santoso, an ambitious, if somewhat inexperienced Indonesian terrorist, as described in an April report by Indonesia-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC).

    In 2014, Santoso, head of East Indonesia Mujahedeen (MIT), pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Al-Baghdadi.

    He also gave himself the name Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi Al-Indunesi. Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi is the founding father of ISIS, who was killed by the US in 2006.

    Santoso had pushed for Poso in Sulawesi to be an IS “province”.

    Until recently, Al-Baghdadi ignored regions outside of the Middle East.

    But earlier this year, he declared South Asia as an IS “province”, a significant shift.

    Describing Santoso as “the greatest threat”, Prof Gunaratna said ISIS now has a global vision and is looking to link up with groups around the world.

    ISIS is reaching out to conflict zones in Indonesia and the Philippines and will hijack issues like the expulsion of the Rohingya people, he added,

    The four Uighur men had been trying to reach Santoso after a failed attempt to make it to Syria.

    HOW BIG A THREAT IS NETWORK IN POSO?

    A number of terrorists in Indonesia belonging to Jemaah Islamiah (JI) were killed and captured after the 2002 Bali bombing which claimed 202 lives.

    But in 2009, a group under Abu Bakar Bashir, the emir of JI, formed a branch in Poso. The group reached out to former fighters, said Ms Navhat Nuraniyah, an associate research fellow at RSIS.

    She told The New Paper the old network was revived and MIT was formed with Santoso as its leader. MIT’s military camp has been running in Poso since 2011.

    “Poso has a long history. It dates back to 1998 when a sectarian conflict broke out between Muslims and Christians,” said Ms Navhat.

    “JI and other jihadist groups first mobilised their fighters to defend Muslims there, and they subsequently used it as a training ground.”

    She added that MIT has carried out small-scale attacks in Poso including a botched suicide bombing and may not be a sophisticated group yet.

    “However, IS gave them a new purpose and the situation could change if their members or former students come back from Syria or Iraq,” she said.

    They already have the funds.

    In 2011, one of Santoso’s supporters, IT expert Rizki Gunawan, hacked a multi-level marketing company website and stole 6 billion rupiah (S$606,000).

    Part of the funds was said to have been used in a church bombing that year.

    WILL RETURNEES FROM SYRIA POSE THREAT?

    Official Indonesian sources say there are about 50 Indonesians fighting in Syria. Australian media has been reporting the figure as closer to 300.

    Prof Gunaratna said that like the experience in Afghanistan, returnees will have even greater resolve coupled with battlefield experience.

    In February, militants, believed to be returnees, were suspected to have been behind an attempted chlorine bomb attack at a shopping mall in south Jakarta.

    Indonesian police said it was the first such attack ever attempted in Indonesia and that it resembled tactics employed by ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

    Besides combat experience and deepened ideological commitment, IPAC’s director Sidney Jones reportedly said in March that returnees will also have international connections and legitimacy that could provide leadership for the terrorism network.

    Poso (in Sulawesi) has a long history. It dates back to 1998 when a sectarian conflict broke out between Muslims and Christians. JI and other jihadist groups first mobilised their fighters to defend Muslims there, and they subsequently used it as a training ground.

    – Ms Navhat Nuraniyah, an associate research fellow at RSIS

    There is a misperception that the IS (another name for ISIS) threat is Syria- 
and Iraq-centric. IS is going beyond its core area. It is sprinting while some governments are trying to play catch-up.

    – Professor Rohan Gunaratna of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)

    HOTLINE

    Anyone who knows or suspects that a person is radicalised should promptly call the ISD Counter-Terrorism

    Centre’s 24-hour helpline: 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD).

    Bali bombers’ connection

    Lamongan is a sleepy town about 50km from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city. It was also the home of Bali bombers and brothers Amrozi, Mukhlas and Ali Imron.

    The tiny town’s connection to terrorism has been in the news recently.

    In March, two sisters-in-law from Lamongan were deported from Turkey with their children after trying to get to ISIS-controlled Syria.

    An April report published by the Indonesia-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) said Lamongan’s extremist community was shaped by Jemaah Islamiah and its satellite school.

    Many of the attacks in Indonesia were planned or started in Lamongan, according to the IPAC report.

    The report said the Lamongan network also helped present Santoso’s MIT group as being a serious threat.

    MEDIA ARM

    The report added: “The key to this was providing Santoso with an effective media arm, and the Lamongan network did just this – connecting Santoso first with Al-Qaeda’s Global Islamic Media Front and then with ISIS.

    “The objective was to create the illusion, both internationally and at home, that the Indonesian effort was bigger and more significant than it really was.

    “The propagandists may have wanted international recognition for Indonesia’s home-grown jihad, but they wanted even more to persuade small-town recruits from other parts of Indonesia that Poso was a war worth fighting.”

    Over time, the Lamongan network has also provided recruiters, fighters and propagandists for ISIS.

    Following a series of crackdowns, many of the fighters ran to Poso and Santoso, making him Indonesia’s most wanted terrorist.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Obama Orders More Troops Into Iraq To Guide Fight Back Against Islamic State

    Obama Orders More Troops Into Iraq To Guide Fight Back Against Islamic State

    President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered the deployment of 450 more U.S. troops to Iraq’s Sunni heartland to advise and assist fragile Iraqi forces being built up to try to retake territory lost to Islamic State.

    The plan to expand the 3,100-strong U.S. contingent in Iraq and open a new operations center closer to the fighting in Anbar province marks an adjustment in strategy for Obama, who has faced mounting pressure to do more to blunt the momentum of the insurgents.

    But with Obama sticking to his refusal to send troops into combat or to the front lines, the White House announcement failed to silence critics who say the limited U.S. military role in the conflict is not enough to turn the tide of battle.

    U.S. officials hope that a strengthened American presence on the ground in Anbar will help the Iraqi military devise and carry out a counter-attack to retake the provincial capital Ramadi, which insurgents seized last month in an onslaught that further exposed the shortcomings of the Iraqi army.

    The U.S. advisers, who will be injected into the heart of one of the most hotly contested areas of the Islamic State campaign, will offer tactical advice to Iraqi officers on how to conduct their operations, the Pentagon said.

    A complex challenge for the U.S. troops, who will establish a training hub at the Taqaddum military base only about 15 miles (25 km) from Ramadi, will be their outreach to Sunni tribal fighters, many of whom do not trust the Shi’ite-led government in Baghdad.

    U.S. officials want to integrate them into the Iraqi army and reduce its reliance on Iran-backed Shi’ite militias who have also joined the fight against Islamic State.

    Obama decided on the new troop deployment in response to a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, the White House said. The two leaders met while attending the G7 summit in Germany earlier this week.

    “To improve the capabilities and effectiveness of partners on the ground, the president authorized the deployment of up to 450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces,” the White House said in a statement.

    Obama also ordered “the expedited delivery of essential equipment and materiel” to Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga troops and Sunni fighters operating under Iraqi command, the White House said.

    It made the announcement two days after Obama said the United States did not yet have a complete strategy for training Iraqi security forces to regain land lost to Islamic State fighters, who have seized a third of Iraq over the past year in a campaign marked by mass killings and beheadings.

    The fall of Ramadi last month drew harsh U.S. criticism of the Iraqi military’s retreat from the city. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that Iraqi forces showed “no will to fight”.

    SEEKING TO SPEED UP FLOW OF TRAINEES

    U.S. forces have already conducted training at the al-Asad military base in western Anbar, and the new site will focus more on advising Iraqi forces on operations in what one U.S. official described as an effort to “buck up the ranks”.The Pentagon said the first of the new troops will arrive at Taqaddum, in eastern Anbar, within a few days from forces already in the country. The base will also be used to help guide Iraqi efforts to reclaim Fallujah, a nearby city the militants have held for more than a year, U.S. officials said.

    Still, Obama’s new plan stops short of some of the more assertive steps demanded by his conservative critics at home, such as putting U.S. spotters in forward positions to call in air strikes or embedding American advisers with Iraqi forces in combat.

    U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said Obama’s plan to send additional U.S. military personnel to train Iraqi forces was a “step in the right direction,” but not a sufficient strategy to defeat Islamic State.

    “It’s clear that our training mission alone has not been enough,” the Republican lawmaker said.

    John McCain, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “I remain deeply concerned that this new deployment is disconnected from any coherent strategy to defeat ISIL.”

    With the latest adjustments, Obama is deviating only slightly from his policy of relying on a bombing campaign and local forces without committing large-scale U.S. troops. His options are hemmed in by a deep aversion to seeing America drawn back into Iraq after pulling out U.S. forces in 2011.

    Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said the president recognized the “inherent risk” of attack that the new U.S. contingent could face in volatile Anbar and insisted that security precautions were being taken.

    U.S. officials took pains to insist that Wednesday’s announcement did not amount to an overhaul of Obama’s anti-Islamic State strategy, but they left open the possibility of further unspecified steps.

    “The president hasn’t ruled out any additional steps,” Rhodes told reporters on a conference call. “He’s always open to considering refinements.”

    (Additional reporting by David Alexander, Jeff Mason, Warren Strobel, David Lawder andPatricia Zengerle in Washington, Phil Stewart in Jerusalem; Editing by Alan Crosby and Grant McCool)

     

    Source: www.reuters.com

  • Mohd Khair: IS Kumpulan Iblis Dan Syaitan Yang Bertujuan Untuk Menghancurkan Islam

    Mohd Khair: IS Kumpulan Iblis Dan Syaitan Yang Bertujuan Untuk Menghancurkan Islam

    IS ni memang kumpulan Iblis dan Syaitan yang misi sebenarnya adalah menghancurkan Islam dari dalam.

    IS sekarang sengaja buat kacau di Gaza agar Palestin terus diserang Israel.

    Dan banyak pula lapuran-lapuran lain yang mengaitkan IS dengan regim kejam Zionis yang memerintah Israel sekarang ini.

    Jadi, tidak hairanlah sekarang IS adalah juga kuncu-kuncu regim Zionis di Gaza untuk menimbulkan huruhara di sana dan untuk dengan sengaja menimbulkan alasan untuk Israel menyerang dan menghacurkan Gaza sekali lagi.

    IS ni memang tentera Iblis dan Syaitan!

     

    Source: Mohd Khair

     

  • Helpline Launched To Fight Radicalisation Threat

    Helpline Launched To Fight Radicalisation Threat

    As terrorist group ISIS’ prolific reach becomes more apparent by the day, the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) has come up with three measures to counter the growing threat of self-radicalisation in Singapore, including a new helpline that will be available from early next month.

    The helpline (1800-774-7747) is for members of the public who wish to raise the alert on those whom they feel are in danger of being self-radicalised. It is also meant to serve as an easily-accessible legitimate reference point for those who have questions about extremist ideology or are seeking advice on aspects of Islam.

    The initiative follows reports last month that a self-radicalised 19-year-old student here had plans to join ISIS in Syria, failing which he plotted attacks to be carried out locally. He was detained under the Internal Security Act in April, while another 17-year-old was arrested last month for further investigations.

    In its statement on the detention and arrest then, the Ministry of Home Affairs had highlighted the importance of family members, friends, colleagues and members of the public turning in those they suspect are at threat of radicalisation early.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the 11th RRG Retreat today (June 8), where the helpline was announced, RRG member Ustaz Ahmad Saiful Rijal Hassan said the community often does not know where to go for help for such matters. “So this is a platform other than Facebook or a website, where they can just call directly and talk to us,” he said.

    On whether the helpline, which will be manned by RRG members, will operate round the clock, RRG vice-chairman Mohamed Ali said it depends on the “availability of our own councillors”, and details are being finalised. RRG has 38 members.

    Asked how the group is addressing people’s fear in reporting their loved ones for possible self-radicalisation, Ustaz Ahmad said he thinks the Malay community “is mature enough to know what is right and what is wrong”. On their part they have been promoting co-existence and peace, and they also urge their community to play a part in the national security and national cohesion.

    “If you dont report it early, you might be sending them off to the gallows,” he added.

    The other counter-measure rolled out by the RRG is short religious talks before weekly Friday Prayers where they can raise awareness on the threat of radicalisation. This started last week.

    Meanwhile, a new manual for RRG counsellors on refuting ISIS’ ideology was also launched today. It focuses on the terrorist group’s evolution, its propaganda and ways to debunk their ideology. Topics include challenges for Muslims living in secular environments, the need for critical thinking to evaluate religious sources and debunking the allegation of the Islamic State caliphate, said RRG co-chairman Ustaz Ali Haji Mohamed.

    Speaking at the Retreat today, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean said there is an urgent need to deal with the threat posed by ISIS. Security agencies and the community need to work together to develop a counter ideology against the terrorist group’s extremist ideology that is tailored to Singapore’s context so it is more relevant for Muslim Singaporeans, he added.

    RRG and community groups also need to reach out to youths through the Internet and social media in interesting, appealing and engaging ways, Mr Teo, who is also Minister for Home Affairs, said in Malay. Just as ISIS has used social media to provide religious justifications for its various actions, Singapore’s responses have to be equally, if not more, dynamic, he said.

    Agreeing, Ustaz Ahmad said youths spend a lot of time on the Internet, and “the problem with that is that whatever is (online) are information, not knowledge”.

    So, they are encouraging more Muslim youths to attend religious classes by accredited scholars, he added, citing that at least 60 per cent of Muslim youths here are not in any formal religious classes.

    Ustaz Ali added that public education efforts are important because youths rely heavily on the Internet for religious guidance but without a strong foundation in religious knowledge, they are unable to discern correct Islamic teachings from those of ISIS.

    DPM Teo also said there is a need to go beyond countering radical and distorted ideology, to put forward a positive agenda for all communities to live in harmony.

    “We need to work together to protect our young people from this danger of self-radicalisation through the Internet, so that they do not do harm to themselves, their family, the community and to Singapore,” he said.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

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