September 2024
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
Tags
AIIB ASEAN ASEAN (R) ASEAN-ISIS Asia Big Tech CH: Hong Kong Country (R): Indonesia Country (R): Malaysia Country (R): Myanmar Country (R): Singapore Country: ASEAN Country: Australia Country: Cambodia Country: China Country: Germany Country: India Country: Indonesia Country: Japan Country: Laos Country: Malaysia Country: Myanmar Country: North Korea Country: Philippines Country: Qatar Country: Russia Country: Singapore Country: South Korea Country: Taiwan Country: Thailand Country: UK Country: United States Country: US Country: USA Country: Vietnam covid-19 DE: 5G DE: Data privacy DE: Data security DE: Facebook Digitalisation Elections: Indonesia 2019 Elections: Thailand 2019 ESG: Climate Change ESG: Diversity ESG: Energy ESG: Green Finance ESG: Green Growth ESG: Haze ESG: Human Rights ESG: Modern Slavery ESG: Peatland ESG: Riau ESG: Smallholders ESG: Sustainability ESG: Sustainable/Green Infrastructure European Union Event: SDSWR Events: AAF Fukushima Global Citizens Singapore Indonesia: Jokowi Institute: ERIA Institute: SIIA JP: Abenomics Leaders: Kim Jong Un Leaders: Lee Hsien Loong Megatrends: Populism MM: Aung San Suu Kyi MM: NLD MM: Rakhine State MY: Anwar Ibrahim MY: GE14 MY: Mahathir Mohamad MY: Najib Razak New Horizons New Zealand Nicholas Fang Oh Ei Sun Recovery Region: European Union Region: Latin America Region: Middle East Reports Security: South China Sea Security: Terrorism SG: Lee Kuan Yew SG: SG Secure SG: Smart Nation SG: Society Simon Tay Sustainable infrastructure Topic (R): Belt and Road Topic (R): Business Topic (R): Digitisation Topic (R): Economy Topic (R): Green Finance Topic (R): Haze Topic (R): Infrastructure Topic (R): Palm Oil Topic (R): Peatland Topic (R): Smallholders Topic (R): Sustainability Topic: Anti-Globalisation Topic: Belt and Road Topic: Business Topic: Coronavirus Topic: COVID-19 Topic: Deforestation Topic: Development Topic: Digital Economy Topic: Digitisation Topic: E-Commerce Topic: Economics Topic: Economy Topic: Elections Topic: Environment Topic: ESG Topic: Finance Topic: Global Citizens Topic: Globalisation Topic: Human Trafficking Topic: Indo-Pacific Topic: Infrastructure Topic: Investment Topic: Labour Topic: Nuclear Topic: Palm Oil Topic: Race Topic: Regional Integration Topic: Religion Topic: Security Topic: Singapore-Malaysia Relations Topic: Small States Topic: Trade Trade: AEC Trade: CPTPP Trade: FTA Trade: Multilateralism Trade: RCEP Trade: TPP Trade: War Trends (Digital): Cybersecurity UK: Brexit United States US: Obama US: Trump US: Trump WEF youth

ISIS’ continued broad appeal worrying for Southeast Asia

24 Oct ISIS’ continued broad appeal worrying for Southeast Asia

News of ISIS successfully targeting Southeast Asian professionals and women have worrying implications for the region. Earlier this month, Malaysia announced the arrest of 14 individuals suspected of links to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), including a senior assistant director at Malaysia’s Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.

According to Malaysian experts, the arrests prove that ISIS is recruiting more than just soldiers, but educated men and women who can help run an actual functioning Islamic state, both in the Middle East and potentially across Asia.

The arrests also included at least one man who had fought for ISIS in Syria and returned to Malaysia, as a ‘poster boy’ for ISIS recruitment. Asian governments have previously warned of the threat posed by such returnees. This is no longer hypothetical, but a concrete reality.

In addition, among the arrested were two women who had reportedly served as top recruiters for ISIS in Malaysia. This is also significant, as the popular perception is that militant groups recruit dissatisfied young men. ISIS, however, has proven to have broad appeal to both genders, and employ subtlety in their recruitment tactics.

Recent reports say that ISIS fighters in the Middle East have also formed a combat unit specifically for Malaysians, Indonesians, and other Bahasa speakers, some of whom have appeared in videos, Facebook posts, and other online media urging their fellow South-east Asians to support ISIS.

Sources

Malaysia charges 3 with supporting ISIS
 [Rappler (AFP), 23 Oct 2014]

ISIS eyes Malaysia’s pool of professional talent [Straits Times, 22 Oct 2014]

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons