How the al-Qaeda Threat Lingers

Published on Jun 2, 2011 by Luke Hunt

Osama bin Laden is dead, but in Southeast Asia, nagging problems persist for law enforcement officials seeking to stamp out al-Qaeda’s influence in the region. The Diplomat reports. Most of the focus is on Mindanao, where the Philippines military has drawn up a list five foreigners who had established links to bin Laden, and who are believed to be currently hiding out in the country’s south. Most wanted is the Malaysian-born, US-trained engineerZulkifli bin Hir, aka Marwan, who has made it his business to train aspiring members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in bomb making.   .

Battle for Rare Earth

Published on Jun 2, 2011 by Luke Hunt

Malaysia’s relationship with the West has been on the up in recent years. Its handling of thorny issues like people smuggling, counter terrorism and nuclear proliferation in countries including Iran is a significant shift from the unnecessary belligerence that flourished under long-serving leader Mohammad Mahathir. Luke Hunt writes for The Diplomat. The result has been improved goodwill all round. One issue, however, has emerged that will test that goodwill with Australia. The battle is over rare earths, the toxic by-products it produces and the Malaysian home one Australian company would like to find for it.   .

Weekly News Summary – May 27

Published on May 27, 2011 by Luke Hunt

A look at the headlines making news this week from around south-east Asia and a little bit beyond. ASIAWATCH –The US military announced it would withdraw a number of troops from Pakistan in response to a request from the Pakistani government to reduce its presence in-country. The request followed the US special forces assassination of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, which despite being on Pakistan soil was not sanctioned by its government. Following the announcement, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flew into Islamabad to meet with senior leaders. She rejected suggestions that senior people had known where the 9/11 mastermind had lived. Clinton did reiterate Washington’s “strong commitment” to relations with Pakistan, but warned that more needed to be....

Weekly News Summary – May 20

Published on May 20, 2011 by Luke Hunt

A look at the headlines making news this week from around south-east Asia and a little bit beyond. ASIAWATCH — An Australian report titled ‘Jihadists in Jail’ described Indonesian prisons as incubators of terrorism, where jailed terrorists form new links and even plan attacks. Researchers interviewed 33 men convicted on terrorism charges, including members of the notorious Jemaah Islamiyah network which was behind the Bali bomb attacks of 2002. They found that terror convicts are frequently located in the same prison blocks and allowed to mingle freely. India is now searching its own prison population for terrorists, after a manhunt traced a terrorist fugitive back to a Mumbai prison. The man had been included in a list compiled by India’s....

Weekly News Summary – May 13

Published on May 13, 2011 by Luke Hunt

A look at the headlines making news this week from around south-east Asia and a little bit beyond. ASIAWATCH — Osama bin Laden’s assassination in Pakistan continued to dominate news across the globe this week. Media reports detailed the 9/11 mastermind’s ongoing attempts to attack the US, gleaned from intelligence analysts who had pored over evidence captured during last week’s raid on his luxurious Pakistani compound. Bin Laden pressed followers to find new ways to hit the US, suggesting they focus on smaller cities and target trains as well as planes. Meanwhile, the US continued its drone attacks in the Pakistani tribal area of North Waziristan, with three strikes occurring since US commandos killed bin Laden. In India, police briefly....