SINGAPORE, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The Singapore government revealed Thursday that suspected terrorists it arrested in August and December were aiming to overthrow the Malaysian government to create an Islamic state.
A total of 15 were arrested in December and 21 others last month under the Internal Security Act for terrorism-related activities. Most of those detained allegedly belong to the Jemaah Islamiah, a group believed to have links to the al Qaida network.
In a statement, the Ministry for Home Affairs said the JI stepped up its militant orientation in 1999-2000, with additional surveys of potential targets, as well as greater efforts to recruit members.
The ministry said the increased activity was initiated by regional JI leader Hambali Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin, an Indonesian who was in charge of the JI in Malaysia and Singapore. "He is believed to have been linked directly to Osama bin Laden's key lieutenant, the late Abu Hafs and to have been at some point, absorbed into the al Qaida organization," the ministry said.
"The aim was to create a situation in Malaysia and Singapore conducive to overthrowing the Malaysian government and making Malaysia an Islamic state," it said, adding "the attacks on key Singapore installations would be portrayed as acts of aggression by the Malaysian government, thereby generating animosity and distrust between Malaysia and Singapore."
Hambali allegedly aimed to create ethnic strife by playing up a "Chinese Singapore" threatening Malays/Muslims in Malaysia. In this plan, Hambali was assisted by a small group of Malaysian JI members based in Johor, the ministry added.
The Singapore government also revealed that its investigation uncovered that in 1999, the JI initiated an alliance with other jihad/militant groups in the region, called the Rabitatul Mujahedin.
"The objective was to unify the Islamic militant groups in the region, with the ultimate goal of realizing the Daulah Islamiyah, i.e., an Islamic state comprising Malaysia, Indonesia and Mindanao, following which Singapore and Brunei would eventually be absorbed," the statement said.
The ministry concluded that, with the recent arrests, the Singapore JI network has been severely disrupted.
"However, the threat from regional JI elements remains. Investigation and operations will be continued to prevent JI remnants from regrouping in Singapore or from linking up with JI elements abroad," it said.
