Asian security execs fear spread of IS threat

From the Daily Tribune (Jul 30): Asian security execs fear spread of IS threat

Security officials in the region have expressed fears during a forum yesterday that the Marawi City siege of Islamic State (IS)-inspired militants will be the precursor of a region-wide terror crisis.

Australia’s Attorney-General George Brandis warned the fighting in Marawi City which has entered its third month poses an immediate threat to the Asian region including Australia and specifically Indonesia during a forum on foreign terrorist fighters returning to the region held in Manado, North Sulawesi.

“The collapse of the IS (Islamic State) caliphate as we achieve victory in that civil war in the Middle East throws up a new range of problems,” Brandis said.

He said the problem he was reffering in particular was about foreign jihadists seeking to rebase themselves “elsewhere in the world, including in this region.”

Indonesia and Australia co-hosted the counter-terrorism forum. The one-day gathering brings together six countries including Malaysia, Philippines and New Zealand.

Ministers discussed the challenges posed by growing terrorism in Southeast Asia as well as concerns that IS is trying establish a regional caliphate in the Philippines,where government forces are pitted against Islamist gunmen holed up in Marawi City.

“I am hopeful that this meeting will produce a valuable outcome so together we could fight terrorism, especially in Marawi, Southern Phillipines,” Indonesia’s chief security minister Wiranto said ahead of the event.

The final communique issued by the six countries stated “grave concern” at the growing threat of radicalism and violent extremism and also noted “rapidly evolving” threats facing the region.

The officials of the six countries also agreed to enhance law enforcement cooperation and intelligence sharing.

“Ministers discussed the rapidly evolving threats facing the region, and agreed that it is vital to respond collectively in a manner that is coordinated, strategic and pursued at all levels of government together with private actors and civil society,” according to the final communique.

“The conflict in Marawi reminds us in the most immediate possible way of the urgency and the proximity of the threat that is faced by all of us,” Brandis said.

Continuing dialog urged

During the summit the nations agreed to a law enforcement dialog led by the Australian Federal Police and Indonesian police, to discuss the threat of the IS group and to establish what would be known as a Foreign Terrorist Fighters Strategic Forum, to enhance information sharing among police and intelligence agencies, according to Australian broadcast outfit ABC.

That forum would also build on and establish databases to help track terrorists, it added.

They also agreed to a roundtable on the management of terrorist prisoners and to study each nation’s counter-terrorism laws, it said.

“I think Australians understand that we are threatened just as our regional partners are threatened and I think we all understand that this threat is best thwarted if we work collaboratively together,” Brandis said.

The final communique also commits to greater collaboration between the six nations border control agencies and strengthening cooperation between financial intelligence units. Indonesia’s Security Minister Wiranto described terrorism as a threat to humanity.

“Not one country in the world is free from the threat of terrorism, and we must face the threat together,” he said.

Still locked in battle

Fighting in Marawi City erupted after government troops made a botched attempt to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “emir” in Southeast Asia Isnilon Hapilon last May 23.

The military reported between at least 109 government troops were killed while 453 Maute Group terrorists were neutralized during the more than two months of battle. It also counted 45 civilians have been killed or executed.

In the more than two months battle, 900 troops were reported wounded.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he wanted government forces to conclusively defeat the lawless band so that rehabilitation of Marawi City can proceed full speed.

“We would like to start the rehabilitation of Marawi City so that’s why we want also the conflict to end soon,” he added.

Lorenzana said what happened in Marawi City was not a failure of intelligence but a failure to appreciate intelligence.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/asian-security-execs-fear-spread-of-is-threat