How much of a Threat is ISIS to the Region?

The Straits Times & Asia News Network

01 November 2015

With the emergence and growing influence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the threat of transnational terrorism erupting in the region has grown significantly over the past year.

While ISIS and its affiliates threaten to destabilise the entire region, Singapore faces an outsized risk for a number of reasons, say experts.

They range from Singapore’s reputation as one of the most secure countries in the world today, to its status as a global hub for finance and shipping, and its close relationships with the Western world.

… “Although Indonesia and Malaysia oppose ISIS, Singapore is identified by the South-east Asian terrorists as the region’s closest ally of the United States,” says Professor Rohan Gunaratna, who heads the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR).

… “Prior to ISIS’ rise in June 2014, there was a sense that the physical threat was declining because of very effective security force action within South-east Asia,” says Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

… There is a real risk that these fighters could begin a fresh cycle of violence reminiscent of the JI threat after fighters returned from Afghanistan in the 1980s, says ICPVTR research analyst Jasminder Singh, who notes that a key Katibah leader is former JI member Bahrum Syah.

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Last updated on 03/11/2015