Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Deradicalization is Key
Wanted Malaysian militants hiding in the southern Philippines are currently attempting to form an official faction of the group known as the Islamic State (IS), according to The Straits Times. The militants, who have been on Malaysia’s most wanted list since last April, plan to form an regional terror group by uniting terrorist existing organizations in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The militants’ plans were among several terrorist-related developments that have recently emerged in Malaysia. Last month, militants of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) beheaded Malaysian citizen Bernard Then, who had been abducted in May. The Malay Mail reported that Then is believed to be the first Malaysian hostage killed by the terrorist group.
Malaysia’s counterterrorism framework has been successful in past years and arrested more than 150 terror suspects since 2013. However, recent police intelligence suggests that the country’s counterterrorism actions may result in progressively more severe consequences. According to Channel NewsAsia, police believe that Malaysia’s active role in fighting IS has caused Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital, to become a target of terror attacks.
The recent developments in Malaysia and fears over future attacks have elicited greater scrutiny over terrorist recruitment in Southeast Asia. The Muslim-dominated populations in countries such as Indonesia, home to 205 million Muslims, make the region a “ripe location” for recruitment. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong detailed the state of the region, explaining, “Southeast Asia is a key recruitment center for [IS]. More than 500 Indonesians have joined this terrorist group. ... [IS] has so many Indonesian and Malaysian fighters that they form them into a unit by themselves.”
The terrorist groups have recruited members through novel methods on multiple fronts to gain traction. A USAID report published in September draws attention to one particularly susceptible area in Indonesia: its prisons. “Due to overcrowding and limited resources, Indonesian prison officials struggle to isolate jihadist inmates from the general jail population. … Numerous inmates have been converted to Islamic militancy in jail,” the report described. Terrorists often radicalized youths through the Internet, where terrorist propaganda abounds. Two self-radicalized Singaporean youths were arrested earlier this year, the Straits Times reported.
National leaders and figures have identified deradicalization as an important approach to counter the evolving terrorist threats. Following the ASEAN Political and Security Community Council meeting, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan identified deradicalization programs as a key area of collaboration for ASEAN countries. He also added, “Dealing with terrorism is not just enforcement, or military or police operation ... there is also a need to reach out to our young people and to show them that there are better and more effective ways to achieve progress, to discover identity, to assert value.”
A concerted regional effort at deradicalization may be put forward next year, as an international conference on deradicalization in the ASEAN region will be held in Kuala Lumpur in January. The announcement followed a Special Regional Meeting on Radicalization and Extremism (SAMMRRAVE), also held in Kuala Lumpur in October, The Diplomat reports. The conference will attempt to establish internationally accepted standards and procedures for programs to combat terrorism. As President Aquino of the Philippines expressed during the 27th ASEAN summit, ASEAN leaders must “recognize that problems of extremism today require new solutions,” and improved deradicalization programs may be the crucial first step.