Mohd Mizan Aslam

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Cross Border Terrorism The Link Between Malaysia
Militant Group (KMM) and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)
The Implications for Regional Security

• Mohd Mizan Aslam
• Associate Prof. Dr. Jim Veitch
• School of Government
• Victoria University of Wellington
• For Presentation at
• The Crossing Borders Promoting Regional Law
  Enforcement Cooperation -European, Australian
  and Asia-Pacific Perspectives
• International Conference
• ANU, Canberra
• 8th-9th April 2009

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Malaysia Hub for SEA Terrorism ?
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MALAYSIA INDONESIA
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Cross Border NetworkA Greater Objective to
Create Islamic Caliphate in SEA Region
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Introduction

• This paper explains cross border terrorism
  between Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines,
  Thailand and Singapore.

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• Looking at the map suggests Indonesia as the
  centre, but what I want to argue is, Malaysia is
  the hub for terrorism in Southeast Asia.
• To discuss the implications would require more
  time than I have, so I will focus on the problem
  of cross border terrorism between Malaysia (the
  hub) and Indonesia (one of the spokes).

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• Despite being separated by the Sunda Strait and
  South China Sea, Malaysia and Indonesia share
  similarities in culture, ethnicity and religion.
  These two prominent Muslim countries have a long
  standing history.
• However, militant and radical activities in the
  decade of 90s and early 21st century created
  significant difficulties between them.

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• Instead of facing their home-grown militant
  activities, cross border violence has made the
  situation worse.
• Regional cooperation and underground networking
  were established by local militant groups.
  Beginning in Malaysia and spreading to Indonesia.

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Why Malaysia?

• The most well known of the radical group, Jemaah
  Islamiyah began in Malaysia from the 80s onwards.
  
• Most of the JI top leaders were in Malaysia from
  1980s until the group was exposed in 2001.

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• Firstly, encouraging radicalism was the Open
  door policy implemented by the Malaysian
  government and extended to Muslims all over the
  world especially to those from Organization of
  Islamic Conference (OIC).
• Secondly, Malaysia attracted radical Muslim
  because of the anti-west policy stance of long
  time Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad.

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• Thirdly, Malaysia has been a transit country for
  Jihadi fighters from Indonesia, Thailand,
  Malaysia and Singapore. They left from Kuala
  Lumpur to Karachi before entering Afghanistan for
  military training
• Fourthly, Malaysia was seen as a non-Islamic
  country by these Jihadi Muslims.

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• Minorities of Chinese, Indian and Christian
  represent 35 percent of the general population
  were considered a threat to Malaysia Muslims.
  Islam diluted by the minority.
• The radicals always think about waging jihad
  against non-Muslims in Malaysia or abroad.

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Southeast Asia Militant Groups

• Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM) in Malaysia .
• Jemaah Islamiyah in Malaysia
• Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia
• Jemaah Islamiyah in Singapore
• PULO (Pattani United Liberation Organization) and
  Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Pattani (GMIP) in
  Thailand,
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu
  Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Philippines,
• Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) in Myanmar

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KUMPULAN MILITAN MALAYSIAKey Figures
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JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH (MALAYSIA)Key Figures
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The Origins of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Malaysia
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• Historically KMM came first, but this was not
  recognized until after the emergence of JI.
• Abu Bakar Baasyir and Abdullah Sungkar founded
  JI in Malaysia in 1993 during their 1987 1998
  exile from Indonesia.

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• JIs main objective was to bring back the
  pristine notion of Islamic values and norms. In
  order to establish Islamic states, JI wanted to
  establish Shariah as the highest law for each
  nation in the region.
• Islamic states were also called Daulah Islamiyah
  (Islamic kingdom), incorporating Malaysia,
  Singapore, Indonesia, Southern Thailand, and
  Mindanao.

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• Through Maahad Ittibaus Sunnah (Private Islamic
  Boarding School, teaching based on al-Quran and
  Sunnah) located in Kuala Pilah, Baasyir and
  Sungkar sent batches of Malaysian and Indonesian
  students to fight against the Russia occupation
  of Afghanistan and at the same time gained
  military training (1986 to 1992).
• Both contributed in establishing the Luqmanul
  Hakiem Islamic School (LHIS) in Ulu Tiram, Johor,
  together with the Ustaz Ghani and Ustaz Latif in
  1991 .

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From Kuala Pilah to Ulu Tiram
The location of Maahad Ittibaus Sunnah In Kuala
Pilah
The location of Luqmanul Haqiem Islamic School
in Ulu Tiram
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The Origins of Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM)
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• KMM was only exposed after an attempted robbery
  at Southern Bank, Jalan Gasing Petaling Jaya was
  botched by police on May 18th, 2001.
• The poorly planned robbery resulted in a member
  of the group being fatally shot and the rest
  being arrested. Following that, 84 members of
  KMM were arrested nationwide including Nik Adli
  bin Nik Abdul Aziz, the son of Kelantans Menteri
  Besar (Chief Minister).

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• Arrests also uncovered the connection between KMM
  with unsolved violent crimes such as the temple
  and church bombings (07/00, 10/00 and 07/01), the
  murder of a Dr. Joe Fernandez (11/00), an attack
  on a Police Station (02/01), an attempted to
  attack US Navy convoy (04/01).
• KMM was founded by Zainon Ismail in 1986, he was
  a member of the Partai Islam Semalaysia
  (Malaysian Islamic Party-PAS) Youth State
  Committee in the Kedah state

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A picture of KMM founder Zainon Ismail (right)
learning to use heavy artillery (Dasyaka) during
a stint in Afghanistan
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KMM had an elaborate structure, there were
departments dealing with the following five areas

• 1-Economy,
• 2-Tarbiyyah (Education)
• 3-Communications
• 4-Muaskar (Military training)
• 5-Operations (Attacks)

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Aims of KMM

• To protect PAS (Malaysian Islamic Party) leaders
  from arrest.
• Gathering for students from Afghan, India and
  Pakistan alumni.
• Helping Muslim brotherhood from any harms either
  by money or life (jihad).
• Defender of Islam by any means.
• Establish Islamic Caliphate.

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• Later, 1993 onwards KMM was influenced by the
  Indonesian ustazs (clerics) such as Abdullah
  Sunkar, Abu Bakar Baasyir, Abu Jibril and
  Hambali aka Riduan Isamudin aka Encep Nurjaman
  who were influenced by Wahhabism ideology.
• Hambali, one of the prominent clerics established
  the Mujahidin League (Rabitatul Mujahidin) in
  2000.

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Rabitatul Mujahidin as Regional Terrorist Network
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• Hambali was responsible for establishing a
  meeting of the First Rabitatul Mujahidin
  (Mujahidin League) in December 1999 at Kuala
  Lumpur.
• In June 2000, Hambali organized a second meeting
  at the Park Avenue apartment, a luxury house
  owned by Yazid Sufaat in Ampang, on the outskirts
  of Kuala Lumpur.

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Place for the 2nd Rabitatul Meeting
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• The third Rabitatul Mujahidin meeting was held in
  November the same year at a resort in Sungkai,
  Perak. Zulkifli Marzuki aka Ibrahim, a Malaysian
  accountant and a previous JI secretary, rented a
  villa at this resort for the meeting.
• Rabitatul Mujahidin main objective was to discuss
  cooperation at the operational level and
  training, education and financing of Southeast
  Asia jihadist activities. JI attacks throughout
  the region on the basis of the cooperation and
  planner attacks have launched.

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A Rabitatul Mujahidin Logo was found on Fathi
Abu Bakar Bafanas (a brother of Faiz Abu Bakar
Bafana) computer disk. Hambali handed over a
hand-drawn Rabitatul Mujahidin logo for him to
re-design. Fathi drew the logo on his computer
and handed it over to Mas Salamat Kastari as
directed by Faiz
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A list of some of the attacks

• Christmas Eve bombings in 11 cities in Indonesia
  (December 2000)
• Bombing of Santa Ana Church (July 2001)
• Bali Bombing I (October 2002)
• Series of bombings in Zamboanga and Kidapawan
  (October 2002)
• Dr. Joe Fernandez killed (November 2002)
• Car bomb in Cotabato Airport (February 2003)
• Bombing at Davao Airport (March 2003)
• Bombing of JW Marriott Hotel ( August 2003)
• Bali Bombing II (October 2005)

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• All these activities involved crossing the
  borders as it did not exist.
• Of course for JI, borders do not exist, the aim
  is to found a caliphate for the Muslims of
  Southeast Asia.
• If successful, this Caliphate would be the
  largest grouping of Muslims in the world.

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The Future of KMM and JI in Malaysia and the
Region
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• The terrorist network in Southeast Asia has
  suffered significant setbacks in the past six
  years.
• These radical network have been weakened by
  aggressive strategies, improved intelligence,
  enhanced military operations and an erosion of
  public support.

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• In Indonesia, since 2005 authorities have
  arrested more than 300 members of Jemaah
  Islamiyah. In the Philippines, an American-backed
  military campaign has the Abu Sayyaf Group, an
  Islamic extremist organization with links to
  Jemaah Islamiyah, clinging to footholds in the
  jungles of a handful of southern islands.
• The aggressive work of Unit 88 supported by
  Australia has been a major factor in destroying
  JI activities and influence.

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• Malaysia, at least 19 KMM and 68 JI members were
  detained under the ISA (Internal Security Act).
  Networking, financial and logistical capabilities
  of these two groups were dismantled by the
  Malaysian authorities. Massive raids and
  effectives strategies by various government
  departments in Malaysia were crucial in tackling
  down the threat.

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• In the Malaysian context, KMM has been totally
  paralyzed and is no longer threat to the
  Malaysian government. Leaders, Zainon Ismail and
  Nik Adli were in prison for the last four years,
  there have no violence activities recorded since.
  
• JI considered illegitimate in Malaysia since the
  crackdown in 2001 and 2002. But, there was a
  different story about JI in Indonesia

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• The hard core of KMM members such as Taufik Abdul
  Halim and Ibrahim Ngah are in Indonesian prisons
  since 2003. Zulkifli Khir, the alleged leader of
  KMM and the middle man between KMM Selangor cell
  with JI still at large.
• Hambali, the indirect spiritual leader and the
  inspirational and planner for JI and KMM regional
  activities is in Guantanamo Bay since 2003.
  Meanwhile, Abu Jibril, the most KMM influential
  ustaz was back to Indonesia after spending six
  years in Malaysian detention camp.

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Conclusion

• Porous border make it easy to move between
  countries. Such as Malacca Strait, Johor and
  Batam, Sabah Kalimantan.
• Terrorists active in both Malaysia and Indonesia-
  an issues effecting both countries.
• Border activity is made possible because Muslim
  move between without visa. Being an Indonesian or
  Malaysian is not so important as being a Muslims.
  

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Porous Border
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• 4. Cooperation between governments is uneven /
  fragile always questions about sovereignty.
• Cross border terrorism raises legal issues for
  the countries involved.
• JI is an international terrorist organization in
  Southeast Asia. It is a home-grown regional
  network involved in asymmetric activities on
  conflict.

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• Crossing border is difficult to police. The
  motivation to cross border is driven by a Muslim
  vision that ignores colonial and post colonial
  boundaries and the legal structures of sovereign
  states.

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Thank You

• mizan.aslam_at_vuw.ac.nz
• jim.veitch_at_vuw.ac.nz