S'pore produces evidence of terrorism<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Singapore<\/p>\n
Shaky, grainy, color video clips of embassies, warships and a
\nnaval base were released by the Singapore government on Friday as
\nevidence against suspected terrorists accused of plotting to blow
\nup Western interests in the city-state.<\/p>\n
The four video excerpts show some of the 13 suspected
\nterrorists \"casing\" potential terror targets, the government said
\nin a statement.<\/p>\n
Singapore says the 13 are members of Jemaah Islamiyah, an
\nextremist network with links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
The video clips are brief, with the shortest showing a 20-
\nsecond drive past the Israeli embassy which ends when the camera
\nis yanked away as security guards look over.<\/p>\n
The longest clip, 1 minute 15 seconds, shows the U.S. Embassy
\nand the Australian and British high commissions which flank the
\nfortress-like American building.<\/p>\n
The evidence against the 13, who have not been charged, was
\nshown earlier this week before a closed-door advisory board. It
\nis legal to hold people without trial under Singapore's Internal
\nSecurity Act (ISA).<\/p>\n
The three-member advisory board -- which includes a judge, a
\ndoctor and a businessman -- reviews the suspects' case but it has
\nno power to convict or exonerate. If the board feels the men are
\ninnocent, they can recommend that the president pardon them.<\/p>\n
According to the government statement, the suspects started
\ncasing Singaporean targets in October 2001.<\/p>\n
In October, Singaporean Mohamed Nazir bin Mohammed Uthman, 27,
\nand Indonesian Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi filmed the American Embassy
\non Napier Road along with the British and Australian high
\ncommissions.<\/p>\n
Al-Ghozi was known as \"Mike\" to suspects who were members of
\nan al-Qaeda-linked cell in Singapore, the government said. Al-
\nGhozi filmed the U.S. Embassy video, which shows Nazir sitting at
\na bus stop in front of the embassy, the statement said.<\/p>\n
The government says the videos were made by \"foreign
\nterrorists Sammy and Mike.\" The government says Sammy is a
\nCanadian of Kuwaiti descent with suspected al-Qaeda links; his
\nwhereabouts are unknown. Sammy had earlier asked members of
\nJemaah Islamiyah to procure 17 tons of ammonium nitrate to build
\ntruck bombs, Singapore authorities say.<\/p>\n
In November, suspects made \"reconnaissance\" videos of
\nSingapore's Sembawang Wharf and Changi Naval Base, which are
\nfrequented by American and Singaporean sailors.<\/p>\n
Al-Ghozi, who was arrested in the Philippine capital last
\nmonth, told Filipino prosecutors on Thursday that he planned
\nalmost-simultaneous bombings that killed 22 people in Manila a
\nyear ago. The Indonesian was arrested after a tip-off from
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
Al-Ghozi also had links in Malaysia and says he raised money
\nfor the Philippines attack from a Malaysian-based leader of
\nJemaah Islamiyah.<\/p>\n
The videos were saved on VCDs with disguised labels. The
\nfootage of the wharf and naval base, which was filmed from the
\nSouthern Malaysian state of Johor, was found in a VCD disguised
\nwith the title, \"MP3 ? Rock n Roll.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has
\nrejected allowing \"outside parties\" to interrogate Malaysian
\nsuspects detained in an anti-terror operation, saying there is no
\nproof that any are connected to the Sept. 11 attacks.<\/p>\n
The remarks appeared to rule out extraditing to the United
\nStates a former Malaysian army captain, Yazid Sufaat, jailed for
\nhis alleged role in an extremist group plotting to bomb U.S.
\ntargets in Singapore.<\/p>\n
Yazid allegedly allowed two of the Sept. 11 hijackers to stay
\nat his apartment in January 2000 during a stopover in Kuala
\nLumpur to meet with an operative from bin Laden's al-Qaeda
\nnetwork and local militants.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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