Case against JI suspects reviewed

Case against JI suspects reviewed

SINGAPORE: Singapore officials have reviewed the cases of 18
suspected terrorists, accused of plotting a bombing campaign in
Southeast Asia, to determine if they should remain under
indefinite detention without trial, the government said on
Thursday.

The 18 suspected Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) members, arrested in
August, are being held under the tough Internal Security Act
(ISA) and have not been produced in open court.

In the tight security and secrecy surrounding the arrests, the
announcement of the review was only released by the home affairs
ministry three weeks after they appeared in the Supreme Court
chambers of Justice Chao Hick Tin.

The 18 are accused of plotting to cripple crucial targets in
Singapore as part of a plan to overthrow the established order in
Southeast Asia and create an Islamic state. --AFP

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AGLANCE-THAILAND-CAMBODIA
Thai court extradition ruling sparks rights fears
JP/11/ASEAN

Extradition sparks rights fears

THAILAND: Thai court ordered on Thursday the extradition of a
Cambodian opposition activist accused of trying to assassinate
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen four years ago, sparking concern
from human rights activists.

In a verdict read at Bangkok's criminal court, a judge ruled
Sok Youen -- who fled to Thailand after a rocket-propelled
grenade exploded near a government motorcade in northern Cambodia
in 1998 -- should be returned home within three months, subject
to an appeals process.

Defense lawyers said they would appeal against the verdict.
He said the accusations leveled against Sok Youen by the
Cambodian government were politically motivated.

A rocked-propelled grenade exploded near a motorcade carrying
government members to a swearing in ceremony at the royal palace
in Siem Reap. The motorcade was not hit but a boy was killed.
--Reuters

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Aglance-Philippines-kidnap
Muslim guerrillas kidnap nine, kill one in southern Philippines
JP/11/ASEAN

Moro guerrillas kidnap 9, kill 1

PHILIPPINES: Moro separatist guerrillas killed one and kidnapped
nine people during a raid in a remote southern Philippine
community last week, police and military sources said on
Thursday.

Sources said members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) attacked a village near the town of Magsaysay in Lanao del
Norte town on Nov. 16.

They burned a house owned by a convert to Islam, and gunned
him down when he tried to stop them. Nine other members of the
man's household were taken as hostages, the sources said.

The captives were believed taken to a rebel stronghold in a
nearby province and the MILF members demanded some 50,000 pesos
(about US$1,000) in ransom. --AFP

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Aglance-Malaysia-Army
Malaysian military to court-martial officers in scam
JP/11/ASEAN

Officers to be court-martialed

MALAYSIA: Several military officials are facing courts-martial
and a police probe in connection with fake procurement billings
totaling 7 million ringgit (US$1.8 million), Malaysia's defense
minister said.

The officials are alleged to have billed the government for
furniture, computers, air conditioners and electrical items that
were either grossly overpriced or never received by army camps.
No weapons were involved.

Defense Minister Najib Razak said the armed forces had
completed investigations, but did not give more details of the
scam or how many officials were involved.

The Star newspaper reported that defense investigators had
uncovered more than 60 fake billings demanding payments for items
several hundred percent higher than market price. --AP

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Aglance-Cambodia-K Rouge
Cambodia urges UN to speed up passage of tribunal resolution
JP/11/ASEAN

UN urged to resolve tribunal issue

CAMBODIA: Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Thursday urged the
United Nations to quickly pass a resolution to resume talks on
the establishment of a tribunal to prosecute surviving leaders of
the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime.

The United Nations abruptly pulled out of talks with Cambodia
nine months ago over the makeup of the proposed UN-assisted Khmer
Rouge tribunal, saying the Cambodian government failed to show a
commitment to a credible trial. The negotiations had been under
way for nearly five years.

Last week, a UN committee passed a resolution calling on U.S.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resume talks with the Cambodian
government about setting up a tribunal. The resolution must still
be passed by the UN General Assembly and is expected to come
before it next month.

The fanatical Khmer Rouge movement, which ruled the country
from 1975-79, have been blamed for the deaths of some 1.7 million
Cambodians from overwork, starvation, illnesses and execution.
--AP