BANGKOK, Thailand – The regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) is now regrouping with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden funding efforts to strengthen its forces in Southeast Asia, a top ranking Thai intelligence official disclosed yesterday.
“The latest intelligence report we have about the JI is that they are regrouping,” according to Maj. Gen. Thawip Netniyom, director of the Royal Thai Army Office for Policy and Plans.
Thawip said the JI is consolidating what remains of its forces after its ranking leaders have been neutralized and arrested by regional security forces.
He said Bin Laden continues to finance the JI to put it back as a potent terrorist force in the region.
“Osama bin Laden still has a lot of connections with the JI. The bulk of the finances of the JI for their operations comes from Bin Laden,” he said.
Thawip said Thai authorities, including intelligence networks from different countries, are keeping track of the sources of funds of the JI.
“Without Osama bin Laden, the JI would not have any other source of funds,” Thawip stressed.
Thawip was the topnotcher of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1981. He was sent to the PMA for training by the Thai government as a scholar.
Thawip downplayed reports that the Jakarta-based international terrorist group has extended its operations in Thailand.
“Somebody said it’s kind of somewhere here. But I don’t believe so. This (Thailand) is not their area of operation,” Thawip said.
Thawip said the JI mainly operates in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The JI has been responsible for a series of bombings and similar attacks in the Philippines and Indonesia for the past years. Known JI militants take advantage of the loose security in the sea boundaries of the four countries.
Indonesia has been considered as the main base of the JI. Singapore is known as their financial hub and Malaysia as the staging center of its terror operations.
The JI trains its operatives in the Philippines, particularly in the remote jungles of Mindanao and some of its islands through the help of the notorious Abu Sayyaf.
Two of its leaders, Umar Patek and Dulmatin, both wanted for the 2002 Bali bombings, are now being hunted by the Philippine military. Both have been given refuge by Abu Sayyaf rebels in exchange for training homegrown extremists on bomb-making.
Thawip added the JI spares Thailand among their targets in the region.
“They keep Thailand free from (their terror) activities because they want to make Thailand a safe haven. The JI wants to make Thailand their safe haven, so they can regroup, rearm, re-train and something like that. But we have a very good intelligence now that they cannot do that anymore here,” he said.
Thawip said the answer lies in the capture of Mas Selamat Kastari, the alleged JI leader who recently escaped from detention in Singapore.
He said Kastari knows the exact strength of the JI and how the group is consolidating its forces.
“If we can find (Kastari), probably, we can know exactly what and where the JIs are now regrouping,” Thawip said.
He said intelligence reports point to Kastari hiding somewhere in the jungles of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
“Indonesian islands are still being used by a lot of terrorist groups.” Thawip added.
Thawip also revealed other terror groups have emerged in the shadow of the JI.
Thawip cited the recent study made by the Copenhagen Consensus Group that some $200 billion have been spent on antiterrorism measures by various countries around the world.
“If you have to spend $200 billion a year and you prevent a single incident of bombing, I still think it is worth it. It is still money well spent for antiterrorism,” Thawip said.
Thawip said intelligence work requires a lot of money. “In intelligence work, there is no cheap thing, everything is expensive. To get a bit of information that we think is worth it, it might cost a lot of money out there,” he said.
Thawip said people should not put a price on counterterrorism campaigns launched by governments worldwide.
“We have to think that what we are doing right now will at least save some lives. And we should not quantify how much money was spent to save lives,” Thawip said.