International
Singapore detains 15 for terrorism
By Amit Baruah
SINGAPORE, JAN. 5. The Singapore Government announced today that 15 persons had been detained under the Internal Security Act for ``involvement in terrorism-related activities''. Fourteen of the 15 arrested are Singaporeans.
A statement from the Home Affairs Ministry said that 13 of the 15 persons arrested between December 9 and 24 were ``cell members'' of a clandestine organisation called Jemaah Islamiah.
Several among the arrested had been to Afghanistan where they received short periods of training in al-Qaeda terrorist camps.
``The activities of this group included fund collection for terrorist groups, active surveillance of establishments in Singapore targeted for terrorist bombing, as well as attempts to procure materials for bomb construction, including large quantities of ammonium nitrate,'' the statement said. The Government said the links of two of the 15 arrested with Jemaah Islamiah had not been confirmed. Some members of the group are said to have fled the country.
``Among the items found in searches of their homes and offices were detailed information on bomb construction, photographs and video footage of target surveillance, al-Qaeda linked material as well as tampered passports and immigration stamps,'' the statement said.
Key figures of the Jemaah Islamiah, including several of those in custody, have links to militant elements in both Malaysia and Indonesia, the Singapore statement said.
``Investigations are continuing. The Government will make a full statement when the investigations are completed,'' the release added. Separately, Malaysia announced yesterday that it had arrested 13 Islamist militants belonging to the Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM), some of whose members were detained in an earlier operation.
The 13 persons were arrested for conspiring to establish a Daulah Islamiah or Islamic State comprising Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern Philippines.
``They were arrested because they were believed to be carrying out activities which are a threat to national security, including holding secret meetings for setting up the Daulah Islamiah,`` a top Malaysian police official said.
``Documents containing complete training schedules for 40 weeks and details of activities which will be carried out or were being implemented were seized during raids on the houses of these members,'' he added.
As per the Singapore Government statement issued today, key figures of the Jemaah Islamiah had links to militants in Malaysia and Indonesia. ``These foreign figures include one Hambali (alias Nurjawan alias Riduan Isamuddin)....who is wanted by the Malaysian police, and Abu Jibril who is presently under ISA (Internal Security Act) detention in Malaysia for KMM activities.''
An article in Jane's Intelligence Review claimed that al-Qaeda members are believed to have been on the verge of launching an operation but were ``stopped by Osama for a reason that is not yet clear to outsiders''.
``Although al-Qaeda attacks have killed Muslims, it would prefer not do so in the current environment. In that context, the threat to countries like Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Japan is considerable,'' the Jane's piece claimed.
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