The Middle East in the midst of a violent storm from Baghad to Damascus, and in the centre of the conflict – hundreds of emerging militants from Asia.

Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: “It’s a regional problem – it is imperative for us to understand the numbers are incrementally increasing. We must do everything possible to stem the tide.”

Analysts said the reasons for joining the fight are diverse – the conflict is divided down religious and racial lines, and the motivations are often ideologically disparate. But the notion of jihad is increasingly gaining currency in Southeast Asia.