Almost a month Marawi City is under siege. Where else in Raqqa and Mosul, ISIS is in near defeat. The foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) who are hailed from Syria and Iraq are slowly relocating themselves in South East Asia, now. That’s because recently ISIS has declared this region as part of their ‘wilayah’ or province.
In 2016, the jihadists killed 4 people and injured more than 20 people in Jakarta. Malaysia also encountered it first terrorist attack in Movida Club, Puchong where 8 people were wounded. In the same year in Davao, 14 people were killed by Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) which associated with ISIS.
This year in Jakarta 3 were killed and 11 were wounded by dual suicide attacks inspired by ISIS and the ongoing slaughtering by Maute Group which affiliated with ISIS killed more than 100 people and displaced thousands of people including women and children.
Many analysts in past have predicted ISIS is going to launch a massive attack in this region. Unfortunately the governments within this region have not paid that much of attention until recently. ISIS is not an ordinary terrorist group. They act and operate like a cult.
These jihadists subscribe to ISIS’s ideologies strongly. They willing to sacrifice themselves i.e. kamikaze for the sake of their conviction. They also willingly to kill their own brothers, family members or the non-Muslims. Even in the month of Ramadan, they did launched their noxious attacks.
On this Ramadan, ISIS has launched twin-attacks in London Bridge and Borough Market where more than 10 people were slain and more than 45 were injured. ISIS also launched similar attacks in Baghdad (more than 30 people died), in Kabul (more than 140 people were slaughtered) and in Tehran (more than 10 people were exterminated). The terrorists also launched the attacks in Medina (Prophet's Mosque) last year and in Mecca (The Grand Mosque or the Masjid al-Haram) this year as well.
ISIS has admonished its jihadists in past years to launch attacks in this holy month especially on the last ten days of Ramadan because Muslims believe during this period Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran which is known as ‘Laylat al Qadr’ means the Night of Power.
The majority of Muslims consider this is the best time to pray for blessings and forgiveness but unfortunately ISIS has urged its jihadists to kill the innocent. It’s more like they are intoxicated. They lost their humanity by executing the innocent including children and women with their barbaric act. They acted upon for ISIS’s ideologies which are false in nature.
South East Asia is a conducive environment for them. The most populous Muslim country (Indonesia) is within this region. Further, the existence conflicts between Muslims and Non-Muslims together with their governments in region are well documented. For instance, the Aceh Conflict, the Southern Thailand Conflict, the Mindanao Conflict and the Sulawesi Conflict. In addition, Jemmah Islamiyah had successfully launched its terrorist attacks in Bali, Jakarta, Manila and Kidapawan in 2000s.
Such attacks indicated that the Al Qaeda through its associate i.e. Jemmah Islamiya was well rooted in this region. The existing platform which was created by Al Qaeda and its associates had made much easier for ISIS to penetrate in this region. This because Jemmah Islamiyah and Al Qaeda almost eliminated by the security agencies throughout the world.
In addition, the assassination of Osama Bin Laden has perplexed and disenchanted these group further. The large number of sympathizers and supporters from various parts of this region actually has created a web of launch pads, financial sources and safe houses for ISIS to relocate and reestablish itself. This vacuum was well recycled by ISIS and it’s able to create alliances in this region hastily.
For instance in Philippines, ISIS affiliated groups are ASG and Maute Group. In Malaysia, the affiliated group is Kumpulan Gagak Hitam. Where else in Indonesia the Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT) and the Mujahideen Indonesia Timor (MIT) are the two groups which affiliated with ISIS since 2014. This undoubtedly has flagged that ISIS wanted to create its caliphate in this region and Marawi invasion or conquest is just the beginning.
The porous borders between the nations and the supporters/sympathizers around this region together with FTFs who bring in the ‘expertise’ on urban warfare are additional factors for ISIS to launch its conquest in Marawi.
Therefore the cooperation between Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia need to be extended to other nations in this region. Further, India, China and Japan also need to play a significant role to deter this evil threat otherwise they also have to face the consequences. The ASEAN together with India, China and Japan have to create a belt for security to protect the sovereignty of these nations from this evil perpetrator who use religion as a weapon of mass destruction.
ISIS is a borderless terrorist group. They are like termite. If they allow to spread then the entire nation or world can be destroyed. The Paris, Brussels and London attacks can be replicated in this region. In past years, ISIS had done that in this region. The future atrocities of ISIS in this region will be much crueler.
Even though the Malaysian security and intelligence forces successfully dismantling the attacks and prosecuting the perpetrators in the court but the threat is still exist. The cooperation between security and intelligence agencies are vital. Further the cooperation with started with three nations in ASEAN need to be extended to other nations as well. The sharing of intelligence between these nations is vital to prevent any attacks in future. In addition cooperation between the national and global intelligence apparatus exchanging information related with ISIS and ISIS affiliated group will enhance the protection of the peace and security of this region, further.
According to Philippines Armed Forces, the Marawi attacks took them in surprise. Even though the use the means to retake the city but until now they find it difficult to do that. It’s a similar situation encounters by allied forces to retake Mosul and Raqqa. ISIS is using local for intelligence purpose to strike and take over a city like in Mosul, Raqqa and Marawi. In meanwhile, they resist well by brutalize the people to create fear to gain support from the local to retain the cities.
There the security and intelligence forces in region need to make sure that ISIS or ISIS affiliated groups do not conquest any cities or part of this region anymore. Further the arm forces of this region have to create a unification arm forces from the nations of this region to counter as attacks/threats in future.
It’s time for ASEAN to form a military pact like NATO to deter the threats from terrorist groups like ISIS. This pact also can protect its borders and the sovereignty of this region’s nations.
Kuala Lumpur
26.06.2017
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