Terrorism Expert: ASEAN Must Act to Protect Economy

Security Middle East

01 October 2015

A terrorism expert has called for an ASEAN-wide response to safeguard the region from serious terrorism threats at hand to reduce social and economic impacts.

Speaking at a roundtable today ahead of the inaugural Asia Pacific Homeland Security (APHS) conference later this month, Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR), said a multilateral response from ASEAN leaders is needed to counter increasing terrorist threats in the region.

He added that the number of Islamic State (ISIS) supporters in the region has risen and warned that the frequency and gravity of attacks like those in Bangkok in August will increase if the region’s leaders do not act together. He said more attacks would seriously harm overseas investment in the region, while also impacting local tourism.

According to Professor Gunaratna, there are now 30 terrorist groups pledged to ISIS, including 22 in Indonesia and five in Malaysia. More than 600 people from Southeast Asia have also left to fight with ISIS militants, including over 500 Indonesians and nearly 100 known recruits from Malaysia.

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GPO / ICPVTR / Online

Last updated on 13/11/2015