02/06/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-09690

TERRORISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

As President George W. Bush said, "Terrorists try to operate in the shadows. They try to hide. But we’re going to shine the light of justice on them. . . . Terrorism has a face" [and] "we expose it for the world to see."

One place where the face of terrorism is being exposed is Southeast Asia. Law enforcement officials there are investigating a plot to blow up Western embassies and American naval vessels visiting Singapore. They are looking into the activities of a group affiliated with the al-Qaida terrorist network.

The group is known as Jemaah Islamiah [jem-ah-ah is-lah-mee-ah], or Islamic Group. A videotape was discovered in Afghanistan in the rubble of a house used by al-Qaida. Computer files were also found. Wong Kan Seng, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs, says that the material shows "a very direct link between the Jemaah Islamiyah group [members] detained [in Singapore] and al-Qaida leaders in Afghanistan."

Jemaah Islamiah reportedly has cells in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia and may also operate in the Philippines. One of the Jemaah Islamiah leaders is said to be Riduan Isamuddin [rid-wahn is-moo-deen], a thirty-six-year-old cleric also known as Hambali [hahm-bah-lee].

Hambali and his fellow terrorists planned assassinations and bombings in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines with the goal of carving out an Islamic state and killing Christians. "Hambali," a Malaysian official said, "was al-Qaida’s point man in Southeast Asia."

The Singapore government is cracking down on the group. Many arrests have been made. Officials issued a statement saying, "The Singapore government will not hesitate to take strong and pre-emptive action. . .against any terrorist group or individuals who try to cause harm to Singapore. Our security and intelligence agencies. . .work closely with foreign counterparts in the global fight against terrorism."

The U-S is committed to a worldwide campaign against terrorism. "And," said President Bush, "there is an outpouring of support for such a campaign. Freedom-loving people understand that terrorism knows no borders, that terrorists will strike in order to bring fear, to try to change the behavior of countries that love liberty. And we will not let them do that."