Terrorism in SE Asia to loom over ASEAN summit

Terrorism in SE Asia to loom over ASEAN summit

Denis Gray, Associated Press, Phnom Penh

Leaders of 14 Asian nations are poised to take concrete steps to
fight terrorism on the continent and some may put pressure on
Indonesia to rein in radical Islamic groups that have already
infiltrated parts of Southeast Asia, officials say.

In the wake of bombings in Bali and the Philippines, terrorism
is certain to cast a long, dark shadow when leaders of the 10-
member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gather here
Nov. 4-5 for their annual summit. Joining them will be key dialog
partners China, Japan, South Korea and India.

Prime ministers and presidents are arriving in the Cambodian
capital with evidence, though still fragmentary, that Osama bin
Laden's al-Qaeda network has spread into Southeast Asia,
connected with local terrorist groups and has the capacity to
launch devastating strikes.

The themes, loudly stated at the recent gathering of the 21-
member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Mexico,
will likely again resound in Phnom Penh: that terrorism must be
fought on a united front and that among the best weapons are
jobs, education and general economic well-being.

How to keep foreign tourists coming to the region following a
terrorist act like the Oct. 12 bombing in Bali that killed nearly
200 people will likely also be discussed.

"It is our view that fighting terrorism requires the efforts
of each country and the whole region," Vietnam's Foreign Ministry
said in response to questions from The Associated Press.

The security focus at the meeting will probably be on
Southeast Asia's Islamic underside - Indonesia, Malaysia and the
southern Philippines.

Malaysian officials say privately that Indonesia has not done
enough to crack down on militant groups like Jamaah Islamiyah,
which is suspected in the Bali bombings, or in tracking down
fugitive Malaysian militants believed to be taking refuge there.

Malaysia, which plans to set up a U.S.- backed regional center
for counterterrorism, is expected to prod Indonesia to crack down
on local suspected terrorists who could use the country as a
launching pad for more attacks in the region.

Malaysia and Singapore have detained scores of suspected
Jamaah Islamiyah members. Malaysia says the group's alleged
operations chief, Indonesian Riduan Isamuddin, fled Malaysia just
before authorities launched their crackdown, and that the
region's most wanted terrorist may be hiding in Indonesia.

ASEAN's anxiety about security can be gleaned from the draft
of a proposed agreement it plans to sign here with China. The
agreement lists trafficking in illegal drugs, people smuggling,
piracy, terrorism, arms smuggling, money laundering,
international economic crime and cybercrime as major security
concerns.

The accord calls for a strengthening of information and
personnel exchanges, joint training and other forms of
cooperation.

A second agreement, signed this year among Cambodia,
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, will be beefed up since
Thailand and Brunei are expected to accede to the accord during
the summit, according to Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja of the
Philippines.

Other members of ASEAN include Laos, Singapore, Vietnam and
Myanmar, also known as Burma.