Abdul Basir Latip - Abu Sayyaf co-founder Nabbed

Abdul Basir Latip the suspected co-founders of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) based in Southern Philippines had been detained at Jakarta airport for using a fake travelling document. Source said he was picked up by Indonesian authorities on 21 November 2009 and deported back to Manila. Abdul Basir was identified as a fund manager between Al-Qaeda and Abu Sayaff. United States was keen to extradite him as main suspect to kidnap American missionary Charles Walton in 1993. However, Abdul Basir said "I was not a member of the ASG but I am a close friend of Janjalani."

1975 Balibo – East Timor

Yesterday 7th December 2009, “The Austalian” reported about the Killings of Balibo Five, Australian based journalist with the intention to silence the report of Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975. Balibo was a small town in East Timor where all five journalist was hidding to film the invasion. Even though they was only equiped with cameras, paper and pen, the shooting happened from only 15 metres away, revealed Colonel Gato Purwanto ex-member of “Team Susi”.

Definitely revelations will open back the old wounds but justice need to prevail even if injustice was commited during the war time. Since 1975 until the independence of East Timor many freedom fighters was gun down by the Indonesian military, thousands went missing without records. The International Community must deliver a fact findings team to investigate the Indonesian military role in killings East Timor citizens during the war time. Not to forget the mass murder of member’s of Gerakan Acheh Merdeka in post Tsunami.

Defence Diplomacy

Defence Diplomacy was coined to give greater priority, impetus and coherence to military activities and to ensure alignment with the government’s foreign and security policy objectives. One part of defence diplomacy is joint military exercise.

Recently Singapore and Indonesia conducted their defence diplomacy training codenamed “Safkar Indopura” 2009. 600 soldiers from the 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade and 5th Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment, as well as TNI-AD's 13th Infantry Brigade/KOSTRAD and 100 Raider Battalion/KODAM I-BB participated in the exercise.

They shared battle procedures, military knowledge and military skills, and took part in combined arms training exercises. The 21st annual bilateral exercise between the two country's was aimed to strengthen interoperability and mutual understanding. This is just one example of defence diplomacy and it’s good to strengthen this ties.

75 Tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate

12 October 2002, huge explosive was detonated in Kuta Bali which killed 202 people and led to the estimated loss of more than $1 billion in properties and tourist revenue for Indonesia. The cost for terrorist was their suicide cadre’s and $35,000 to plan & execute their operation. It’s not about the money but the capabilities own by terrorist to harm the nations, his citizens and foreign tourist. The image of the nations and region was jeopardize. The damage was huge and the psycological impact was unbelieveable.

Few days ago, Indonesian custom officer confiscated 75 tonnes of an explosive material, ammonium nitrate from KM Fungka Sejahtera an Indonesian registered ship. The material was loaded at Pasir Gudang port. Media source said the ship has no proper documentation to carry the material. Even though the ammonium nitrate can be used for fertilizer yet in Indonesia case almost 95% of the said material was used to develop the bombs. Hope Detachment 88 will track until the root of the tail and defuse any plan to create havoc. Christmas is getting near followed by new year 2010, let’s celebrate in peace.

Singapore Unveil First Rocket Artillery System

The first rocket artillery system for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has been unveiled during an ongoing exercise in Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the US. The high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS), which can be operated by a crew of three is a light truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher. HIMARS can carry a single pod of six multiple-launch rocket systems that can shoot over 3,800 bomblets to penetrate enemy armour up to 10cm thick. HIMARS Commander Second Sergeant Darren Lee said the system can pinpoint the target from 50km to 70km away with minimal collateral damage. The SAF is scheduled to receive first 18 HIMARS units in the middle of 2010. Exercise Forging Sabre, currently being held in Fort Sill involves integrated live-firing by multiple air and land sensors, and shooter assets. Over 370 soldiers and airmen from the SAF are participating in the 24-day exercise, which is scheduled to end on 24 November 2009. [Article was paste from Army Technology]

Palestine –Israel: Two State Solutions

Robert Malley, who was a special assistant to President Bill Clinton for Arab-Israeli affairs suggested the US government to rethink on peace negotiations in middle-east. He further said, the negotiation team shall emphasizes on two issues; i. Rights to return for Palestinian; and ii. Rights to exist for Israeli.

From strategic and human rights perspective, both demand is equally important and shall be given top priority on peace negotiations. However I believe, accepting the “rights to exist” while denying the independent Palestine state will not end the conflict. Recognition of “rights to exist” will be an endorsement for Israel but how/in which way the “rights to return” will legitimate the creation of Palestine is unknown. Security analyst believe Israel-Palestine conflict was one of the major root cause of international terrorism. International terrorist using Palestine-Israel conflict as a justification to bomb the targetted state. To overcome the conflict, negotiation for independent Palestine state shall be given top priority while not denying the “rights to exist”. It will be illogical while Israel will get their endorsement from middle-east country but Palestinian soil remain unresolved. Failure to resolve the conflict with win-win environment will push the whole process back to zero ground.

Psychiatrist Became Murderer

[updated: 10112009 / 07:54] Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, a US-born Palestinian and army psychiatrist, opened fire at Fort Hood on Thursday killed 13 people at a Texas army base. US Army source said he was due to be deployed to Afghanistan and in various event has shown dissenting signal on the deployement. I’m sure this incident will disharmony the ethnic relationship in America and at certain extent to other part of the world. This incident will increase the pressure on American muslim especially those who are serving military organisation. On the other part I believe Obama’s policy to be friendly to muslims nations has not reach to the expectations of muslim community. While this criminal act shall not be condoned I hope the US will run their full investigation on why a psychiatrist became murderer. Hope will not come to blanket conclusion as an act of terrorism.

Snippet 9/11

11 September 2001 was a day of unprecedented shock and suffering in the history of United States. American was unprepared to counter the wave of new terrorism. What went wrong? To answer these questions US President created National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. The Commission reviewed more than 2.5 million pages of documents and interviewed more than 1,200 individuals in ten countries, 119 days of hearings and took public testimony from 160 witnesses.

In Chapter 5: Al-Qaeda Aims at The American Homeland, The Commission reported After meeting Bin Ladin, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of the 9/11 plot, journeyed onward to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, where he met with Jemaah Islamiah's Hambali. Hambali was an Indonesian veteran of the Afghan war looking to expand the jihad into Southeast Asia.

Late 1998 to early 1999, planning for the 9/11 operation began in earnest. Yet while 9/11 project occupied the bulk KSM's attention, he continued to consider other possibilities for terror attacks. For example, he sent Al-Qaeda operative Issa al Britani to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to learn about the jihad in SOutheast Asia from Hambali.

Source: The 9/11 Commission Report

Sri Lanka was never a “model democracy”

Sri Lanka was never a “model democracy” since its independence in 1947 and I don't think it will be in future after the worst atrocities committed against the Tamilians. The struggle for a Separate State (Eelam) started since the colonial power took over the administration of Kandyan Kingdom in 1815. Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, was ruled by 3 kingdoms when the Portuguese arrived in 1506. The Sinhala King Parakramabahu ruled Kotte in the south populated by Sinhalese people. There was a King in Kandy in the central highlands populated by Sinhalese to whom Tamil feudal Vanniar chieftain in Batticaloa in the east paid tribute and there was a Tamil Jaffna Kingdom ruled by Pararajasegaran.

It is historically proven that there was no unitary state when European colonial powers arrived in Ceylon. Portuguese ruled Ceylon for 50 years and 150 years thereafter the country was ruled by the Dutch but Ceylon was never ruled as a unitary state. Principally, each kingdom was administered separately. The British later took over the administration and based on minutes of Sir Hugh Cleghorn the British Colonial Secretary in 1976, it is evident that two different nations, entirely different in their religion, language and manners, lived in Ceylon at that time. The minute was supported by the island map prepared in 1857 by John Arrowsmith. It’s very unfortunate that even though British rulers administered the country justly they omitted the sovereignty of Tamil nation by creating a unitary state when independence was declared for Ceylon in 1947. Sovereignty was retained by the British Queen from 1948 to 1972 and the root of the problem started after Sinhala dominated legislature unilaterally declared Ceylon as a Republic state with Sinhala only policy.

Sinhala only policy discriminated the minority Tamils and denied their social, economy and political rights which were guaranteed by the law. Since then Tamilians stood firm to safeguard their culture and religion. Peaceful platform which was the ideology of Tamilians was countered with well planned pogroms in 1958, 1971 and the worst was in 1983 which thousands of innocent Tamilians were killed. Even today, after the mass killings of innocent civilians in the recent war on Vanni, those who are in power refuse to let go their draconian attitude.

Though Tamilians adopted all non-violent means in their struggle for liberation they only received humiliation not only from the state armed forces but even from the ordinary Sinhala citizens. Tamilians were not given a single space to take breath and they were pushed to declare the demand for a separate state called Eelam through Vadukoddai Resolutions in 1976. The resolution for a separate and independent state was approved by Tamil masses in 1977 general election and that was the last free election. Tamilians did not chose the armed struggle but they were not left with any other option due to the state terrorism unleashed on them.

Now after more than 30 years, with the military assistance from China, a nation which does not give due respect for human rights and intelligence assistance from India, the Government of Sri Lanka successfully defeated the military struggle of Tamilians for and independent separate state. Mere military defeat does not mean the end of a people’s struggle for independence and this reality is not at all recognized. Timor-Timor is a classic example to prove this case.

Today the so-called humanitarian mission to rescue the mass civilians is diverted to those detained in Sri Lanka Army internment camps. Thousands of innocent civilians are behind barbed wire without the freedom of movement in the name of screening the separatist cadres. Unfortunately the International Community is not doing enough or is very slow in taking necessary measures to relieve the suffering of the interned Tamils or to resettle them in their own places. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a United Nations treaty based on Universal Declaration of Human Rights, created on 16 December 1966 and entered into force on 23March 1976. According to this treaty detaining Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's) violates UN treaty yet GOSL was given free hand without any intervention from international community.

However, Sri Lanka government says that it cannot find a political solution to the Tamil people’s problems because of the existence of so called terrorists. Since the GOSL has declared its victory over the Liberation Tigers there is no more justification to delay the political devolution to Tamilians. Whether Sri Lanka will be in peace or otherwise entirely depends on the political will of the present leadership of Sri Lanka to devolve political power for Tamilians.

Any failure to empower the Tamilians will create more chaos in country. The ball of political solution is now within GOSL court and its leadership holds the key for long term peace solutions. How they use it will determine the future not only for Tamilians but also the future of Sri Lanka and its citizens.

Meanwhile, International Community must urge GOSL to act in accordance with the UN treaty.

European Parliament: Human Rights Resolution

Parliament adopted three urgent resolutions on the need for the EU to impose sanctions further to the violent repression of a demonstration in Guinea Conakry, the abolition of the death penalty in Iran, and access for humanitarian organisations to the 250,000 civilians displaced by the civil war and held in camps in Sri Lanka.

MEPs deplore the fact that over 250,000 Tamil civilians are still held in camps, contrary to undertakings given by the Colombo government. The resolution asks that their return be organised and that humanitarian organisations be given free access to the camps in order to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance.

Tamil leaders must commit themselves to a political settlement and renounce terrorism and violence once and for all. The government must respect human rights in the conduct of trials of LTTE members, says the resolution.

The Sri Lankan government must cease its repression of the media in the name of its anti-terrorist legislation, which must be overhauled, and press freedom must be recognised, stress MEPs.

The Sri Lankan government must also put more effort into clearing minefields, which are serious obstacle to reconstruction and economic recovery in this south-east Asian country. Members call on the government to take measures to comply with the Ottawa Treaty (Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction).

REF. : 20091021IPR62947 European Parliament

Pakistan Most Unstable Nation?

[edited: 01:58 / 21102009] BBC reported Pakistan has started their military operation in South Waziristan area to bring down Taliban's from controlling the district. Pakistan said 30,000 troops, backed by artillery, had moved into the region where Pakistan Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is based. Taliban's has increased their counter attacks which killed more than 150 people in recent days. Strategically Pakistan is very important soil for Taliban's and Al-Qaeda. Putting Pakistan under Taliban's control means the extremist group will take control the nuclear plant in Pakistan. They will make used the nuclear capability to attacks any nations which refuse to bow to their interpretation on Islam. If that happen then Pakistan under Taliban's administration will become as a threat to world security. The on going war in Pakistan is a threat not only to Asia Pacific but to the whole world. Pakistan need agressive strategy to counter the rise of talibanisation in Pakistani soil to clear his negative image as most unstable nation.

Happy Deepavali

Wish all the Hindus, Happy Deepavali. May the day bring peace and prosperity to you and your family.

Obama at the National Counterterrorism Center

This article was extracted from President Obama's speech at the National Counterterrorism Center. His policy speech shows even though he took a soft approach on counter terrorism strategy yet he was never sliped from American agenda to counter any type of terrorism or terrorist activity.

We know that al Qaeda and its extremist allies threaten us from different corners of the globe -- from Pakistan, but also from East Africa and Southeast Asia; from Europe and the Gulf. And that's why we're applying focused and relentless pressure on al Qaeda -- by sharing more intelligence, strengthening the capacity of our partners, disrupting terrorist financing, cutting off supply chains, and inflicting major losses on al Qaeda's leadership.

It should now be clear -- the United States and our partners have sent an unmistakable message: We will target al Qaeda wherever they take root; we will not yield in our pursuit; and we are developing the capacity and the cooperation to deny a safe haven to any who threaten America and its allies.

We also know that success against al Qaeda must go beyond destroying their network -- it must be about the future that we want to build as well. And that's why we're putting forward a positive vision of American leadership around the world -- one where we lead by example, and engage nations and peoples on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect.

As one counterterrorism expert recently observed, because of our efforts al Qaeda and its allies have not only lost operational capacity, they've lost legitimacy and credibility. Of course, nobody does a better job of discrediting al Qaeda than al Qaeda itself, which has killed men and women and children of many faiths in many nations, and which has absolutely no positive future to offer the people of the world.

So even as we target al Qaeda and its bankrupt vision, we also know that we have to be vigilant in defending our people at home. And that takes aggressive intelligence collection and skillful analysis. And that demands the effective and efficient coordination between federal government and our state and local partners.

Huge Crowd For Mat Top Burial

[updated: 05102009 / 10:25] Nordin Mat Top was buried in his home village this afternoon (Malaysian Time). He was leading the splinter JI group and was said master mind behind the major attacks in Jakarta and Bali. Even though he managed to fool the Indonesian authority more than once but finally on 17 September 2009, he was gun down. During the funeral procession shouts of “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) rang out several times and many onlookers raised their mobile phones to take pictures and videos. The biggest question now is whether the demise of Nordin Mat Top will put a pull-stop to JI terrorism and will those state effected by JI bombs will back to peace?

Biggest Firearms Bust

Taiwan, 27 September 2009: Police officers display seized firearms and ammunition for the media after a smuggling bust in Kaohsiung September 26, 2009. A haul of 181 guns and 22,685 rounds of ammunition were displayed for the media on Saturday as six suspects were arrested in what may be the largest arms smuggling bust ever in Taiwan, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said. Reuters