WITH Thailand being rocked with bomb attacks and its government announcing that Abu Sayyaf sub-leader, Mudzrimar alias Mundi Sawadjaan still alive, an expert urged the intelligence community to overhaul their methods in dealing with terrorism.
“We need ways to counter their
ideology. Gone are the days where terrorists moved in a group and supported
using big money.
“The latest attacks in
Thailand and confirmation of Mudzrimar being alive shows that it doesn’t matter
to them whether its pandemic or natural disaster, their act of terror will
continue.
“Unfortunately, our
intelligence community have yet to evolve together with the terrorists’
methods,” Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd principal consultant R
Paneir Selvam told FocusM.
Yesterday, Reuters reported
that bombers set off at least 13 blasts in a town in southern Thailand
overnight, and the police killed two suspected insurgents in a separate raid
after a 20-hour siege in a nearby province, authorities said yesterday.
While officials did not link
the two incidents directly, the violence came weeks after the government
reopened a dialogue with insurgents from a Malay-Muslim minority in the
southern part of the Buddhist-majority country.
The siege took place in
Narathiwat province, where a combined force of soldiers and police surrounded a
house in the Ra-ngae district on Friday, following a tip-off that suspects
linked to bomb attacks last year were hiding inside.
Later yesterday, Bernama
reported that Mudzrimar, a suspect wanted by the Sabah Eastern Zone Security
Command (ESSCom) and reportedly shot dead last May in the Philippines, has been
confirmed to be still alive.
ESSCom commander, DCP Hamzah
Ahmad said this was confirmed through the sharing of information by the
Philippine security forces involving the Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS) and
Western Mindanao Command (J2 Westmincom).
“Mudzrimar or Mundi Sawadjaan
has been confirmed to be still alive following a series of clashes and
encounters between the Philippine security forces and the suspect since July
2021,” Hamzah was reported as saying.
Touching on the matter, Paneir
Selvam said the authorities must understand that terror groups are no longer
reliant on their leaders to act, as they are driven by their ideology.
He added the point was proven
right as al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) continue to strike terror in many
countries despite the deaths of their respective leaders, Osama bin Laden and
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
“As for the attacks in
Thailand, it happened as the peace talks are about to happen. This could not
have occurred without someone in the hierarchy knowing about it.
“Similarly for Mudzrimar, he
could not have escaped the authorities’ watchful eyes without support from his
sympathisers.
“This is why I keep stressing
on the need for us to work on countering their ideology. That is the root cause
of the problem,” Paneir Selvam mentioned.
Form an advisory body of
various experts
Offering solutions, he urged
the intelligence community to form an advisory body which not only has
representatives from the security apparatuses but also people who are expert in
various racial and religious matters.
Paneir Selvam added that the
team must also include psychologists, lawyer and other experts from various
field.
“This is what being practised
by other intelligence agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of
the US and UK-based MI5. They bring in experts from various races, religions
and ideologies to help counter the narrative perpetrated by terror group,” he
quipped.
While he commended Malaysia’s
Special Branch for deterring attacks on Malaysian soil so far, Paneir Selvam
reiterated that they cannot be applying the same methods as most terrorists are
now work like sleep cells and act autonomously.
“Like the London Bridge attack
last year, the terrorist just used a private vehicle and kitchen knife. As for
the hostage crisis in Texas recently, the assailant came from the UK and
targeted a synagogue.
“This is how powerful the
narrative peddled by their ideology drive them, which is the biggest challenge
for us now,” Paneir Selvam added.
Stop supporting hate preachers
On related matter, the
academic urged political leaders to stay away from the intelligence communities
work so as so to not disrupt their professionalism.
“Our politicians should stop
supporting and bringing in hate preachers just to get political mileage. You
may get some votes but the long-term damage in the country may get out of
control.
“UK is having that problem
now. They used to bring in hate preachers from Middle Eastern countries and the
latter brainwashed certain communities.
“That is why they had problems
dealing with hate preachers like Anjem Choudary and his organisation Al-Muhajiroun,
which was later banned.” Paneir Selvam remarked. – Jan 31, 2022
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