Last Bali Bomber Nabbed

Published on Apr 11, 2011 by Luke Hunt

A poster of Hambali who planned the Bali Bombings is posted outside the mosque from where the attack was planned in Phnom Penh. Almost nine years after twin detonations by Islamic militants left 202 people dead on the idyllic Indonesian island of Bali, the last of the bombers has been arrested, signalling an end to a historic manhunt. Luke Hunt writes for Spectrum. Omar Patek, also known as Umar, the Little Arab and Mike, was captured by Pakistani authorities in January following an apparent tip-off from US intelligence. He was shot and wounded and information surrounding his arrest and whereabouts has only just been released. “Patek certainly represents the last of the initial generation of jihadists,” said Keith Loveard, a....

Weekly News Summary – April 8

Published on Apr 9, 2011 by Luke Hunt

Stephen Tucker looks at the headlines making news this week from around south-east Asia and a little bit beyond. China warned the world against interfering in the case of renowned dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained at an airport by authorities five days ago. Human rights groups rejected ardent claims by the Foreign Ministry that he was being held on suspicion of “economic crimes”, and instead say that he is just merely the latest government critic to be detained in a crackdown on activists, dissidents and human rights lawyers. The Chinese government has reason to be confident that it can control the issue diplomatically, however, when even legendary musician Bob Dylan, a leading crusader during America’s civil rights era,....

Weekly News Summary – April 1

Published on Apr 1, 2011 by Luke Hunt

Stephen Tucker looks at the headlines making news this week from around south-east Asia and a little bit beyond. Dominating this week’s news headlines was the revelation that the alleged mastermind behind the 2002 Bali bombings, Umar Patek, was captured in Pakistan earlier this year. The Indonesian terrorist was the only suspect involved in the attacks who had not been killed or captured, despite a USD1 million reward offered by the US for his arrest. Jakarta sent a team to confirm his identity. At least ten people were killed in a terrorist attack in north-west Pakistan, after a suicide bomber hit the convoy of a radical religious leader and popular politician, Maulana Rehman. It was the second time in as....

McBeth and the old guard

Published on Mar 28, 2011 by Luke Hunt

For the past 40 years, New Zealand journalist John McBeth has been a familiar face in the media in Southeast Asia. As a reporter he earned his stripes the old-fashioned way, starting out on his hometown newspaper before making his way to the mastheads of Asia. Luke Hunt writes for Spectrum in the Sunday Bangkok Post. .

Iranian Fleet Shipwrecked in Asia

Published on Mar 28, 2011 by Luke Hunt

The example of an Iranian shipping firm underscores how sanctions may finally be biting against the country’s nuclear programme. Luke Hunt’s reports appeared in Spectrum, Asian Sentinel, The Jakarta Globe, The Phnom Penh Post and The Diplomat, among other publications. The crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that wreaked havoc in north-eastern Japan has again thrown the spotlight on an industry that has always struggled for public acceptance. But the nuclear danger is also a reminder of the threat posed by rogue states that harbour atomic ambitions, including Iran. .