'Al Qaeda' Targets Thailand

[Jaime]

Some of you may have read this on Thaivisa but here goes anyway:

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A militant group calling itself Al-Qaeda's Southeast Asian Division has threatened to attack regional governments, and lauds two notorious terrorist leaders as "tigers of Islam."

In a website posting seen Tuesday, the previously unknown group warned Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines to expect attacks on government, military and economic targets, and urged Muslims to avoid those locations.

"All the things that we will do are savage acts against humans who do not want to believe in Allah," said the rambling 41,000 word posting entitled a "declaration of war." "The swords of the holy warriors are always thirsty for your blood."

There was no way to know whether the group had the means to carry out the threats.

Militants belonging to the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror group have launched a string of bloody bombings on mostly Western targets in recent years in Indonesia and the Philippines. Thailand and the Philippines are battling Islamic insurgents in outlying regions.

Scores of its alleged Jemaah Islamiyah members have been arrested around the region.

"The world is changing, and the venue of holy war is getting greater," the Malay-language posting said. "The war between Islam and the unbelievers is getting sharper."

Indonesian, Thailand and Malay police said they had no information about the site or the Malay-language posting, which was dated October 5 and had a Kuala Lumpur dateline.

"Even though we have never heard of this terrorist group, once it has made a threat via a Web site, we have to be cautious," Thailand's National Intelligence Agency chief Gen. Jumpol Manmai said.

The statement refers to two of Asia's most notorious terror leaders -- Noordin Top and the recently slain Azahari bin Husin -- as "tigers of Islam" and urges Muslims to follow their path.

The two men, both Malaysians, are blamed for most of the bloodiest terror attacks in Southeast Asia, including the 2002 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. They are alleged to be key leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah.

The posting attacks Thailand for its crackdown on militants in the south of the country, quoting verses from the Muslim holy book to justify violence against soldiers there.

It also criticizes the secular government in mostly Muslim Malaysia, and apparently refers to events in October when suspicious packages were sent to several foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur.

The statement said Muslim militants sent the packages -- which it claimed contained biological agents -- to missions of countries that are "the most active in waging war against Islam" and that they had promised "greater" attacks to come. Police said the packets were harmless.

Southeast Asia militants have used Web sites to threaten attacks or justify bombings before.

An Indonesian-language Web site only recently taken of the net by authorities gave instructions on how to assassinate foreigners in Jakarta.

--AP 2005-11-29
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"The man who never made a mistake never did bugger all" - Old Welsh proverb

"Why limit yourself to the death of a crummy celery stalk when you can eat a giraffe?" - PWEETA

[caller]

[miked]

Just a word of caution. Many of you think that property prices in Thailand will continue to rise. They may well do. However the threat from Al Qaeda is very real and Thailand looks a likely target. If God forbid the suicide bombings start your investment goes with it. As i say, just a word of caution.

[Knocker]

Let us hope and pray that Hua Hin is not a high enough profile place to attract the attention of terrorists. However, you can take nothing for granted in trying to fathon the way a terrorists mind works.

[sam]

Mike, sorry I don't follow your logic, London was bombed prices continue to rise,Madrid was bombed prices in Spain continue to rise, Turkey the same. The people who buy in Thailand tend to have a much stronger feeling for the country than other countries and I think that if they do attack Thailand it will probably make most people more determined not to bow down, as in London.

[lomuamart]

[dr dave soul monsta]

[Guess]

This is not the first time that Thailand has been mentioned as a potential target.

Four years ago when I was living Bangkok I was advised by the US embassy to avoid the Sirkumwit Nana area, Supan Kwai and Pattaya. My guess is that it was because there are Muslims already in that area and some would be sleepers. The high command of Al Queda has all but disintegrated. However it seems likely that re-organization is happening much more quickly than people thought.

There is no evidence whatsoever that terrorist threats have any effect on housing costs.
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G

[Norseman]

Agree with you there Guess.
I would presume that Bangers, Pattaya and Phuket would be a lot more attractive targets for those bastards that call themself muslims.
Has nothing at all to do with religion.
Pure bastards and fuc...g crazy!!
What this could inflict on housing costs is irrelevant to terrorist actions.
It might cause a recession in the number of tourists visiting Thailand, and therefore end up with a lack of people that want to rent a house. Your house. Temporary though, but it will not inflict damage to housing costs in general.
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I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[Knocker]

Do not disgree with you Dr Dave that HH could be a target (as could almost anywhere in the world). However, I would agree with Norseman's presumtion that there are other centres in Thailand that would be higher profile for terrorists. However, I hope I am not tempting fate by saying this

[JW]

If people deceided not to invest because of possible terrorist action then there would be none anywhere, as many have said, it could happen anywhere. The bottom line is that wherever this sort of crap has happened people recover and get on with their lives, you cant live in fear of this or what is the point. Phuket is apparently getting more busy again, for sure there will be people who were directly affected by the tsumani that will never go again, but it will recover. Whats the answer - well thats a whole messed up thing that no one has ever been able to answer.

[Farang]

,
Europe used to be the place sending out all those religious nuts and terrorists.
What with several crusades, including the Children’s Crusade, inquisition, proselytisers,
fiery-eyed monks and one-position-only-missionaries.
These were the terrorists that brought fire, sword and cross to the infidels, pagans, natives,
aborigines and rest of “The God’s Lesser Children”. With the funding, support and
best wishes of the King, Emperor, Pope, Church, nobility and all the population at large.
(all the while remembering to enforce the blessings of Christianity firstly on those pagans whose
territory was most likely to contain gold, silver and precious stones)

While the shoe now seems to be on the other foot, I won’t change my life one iota
any way whatsoever because of the threat – true and factual or just so perceived -
of the modern-day terrorist’s pay-back activities. My life is going to be low or no morals
and high alcohol content as usual, with a seldom attempt at activities of voluptuos and lascivious kind.*

*provided that I recall the activities thereof and/or encounter a suitable private tutor with her loins
girded in all-suffering patience.
,

[johnnyk]

My guess would be Phuket or Pattaya, some place with a big tourist industry a la Bali. Part of the strategy is to hit the country in the pocketbook, scare off the tourist money.
Mind you, HH with certain prominent residences might be very tempting to them.

[coloradokid]

Do you find it interesting that most terrorist strikes occur during the morning rush hours?

One theory I've heard is that the terrorists try to kill as many innocents as possible and during the AM rush there are many more CHILDREN in the crowds than in the evening rush.

If so, then the focus on military targets may not be as important as how many innocents are present.

[caller]

Not in tourist spots they don't, think Bali, Egypt etc.

The problem is that you're not looking for bags lying around, the brainwashed dickheads that do these acts will walk right up to you with a smile on their face and them blow themselves and everyone around them, to smithereens.

Not sure I approve of the term `raghead' (sorry - but think Sikhs who have a slight problem historically with Muslims), but maybe the best bet is to keep a wary eye out for strangers that look out of place.

These things are always researched and often filmed before an atrocity happens to help with the planning.

My guess is that as BKK is the gateway to Thailand, thats what they'll target first, if at all.

I also feel they'll leave the area around Nana alone because of the Arab quarter, the hotels around Sukhmanvit are often full of arab guests.
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I know nothing