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Maritime terror attack alert
From Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa
SINGAPORE (CNN) -- Intelligence officials have revealed a spate of foiled plots on ships in Southeast Asia and are warning that the Malacca Strait -- a narrow stretch of water carrying almost one third of the world's maritime trade -- is vulnerable to a terror attack. After learning of several foiled al Qaeda attempts on U.S. and commercial ships in the area, experts are warning that the terror network still wants to cripple the global economy, and they think the world's economic jugular vein in Southeast Asia is at risk. The Malacca Strait, a highly strategic sea lane between Malaysia and Indonesia that also carries 80 percent of Japan's oil, is especially vulnerable, security experts say. Singapore harbor, the world's busiest transit port, sits on that strait and is a key hub in the global economic lifeline. Any attack in this area could traumatize world business, terrorism experts say. Following an attack on a French supertanker off the coast of Yemen and bomb blasts in Bali, experts say terror groups are honing their skills, with a view to attacks at sea. "Al Qaeda has shown themselves to be able to learn from previous attacks. They've shown themselves to be able to deliver the same kind of tactics time and time again," says David Claridge of Janusian Securities Limited. "They have an interest in maritime terrorism. We know that, and I think it's inevitable that groups within the region will be thinking about maritime terrorism." Foiled attacks
Intelligence officials say the planning for the attack on the USS Cole began in Malaysia, and the suspected mastermind, Tawfiq bin Attash Khallad, was plotting another attack on a U.S. ship visiting a Malaysian port in 2000. Less than a year later, Malaysia's Special Branch foiled a plan to ambush another U.S. ship. Singapore intelligence also disrupted an al Qaeda plot to attack an American ship early this year. In Indonesia, an al Qaeda operative now in U.S. custody, Omar al-Faruq, told of plans to attack a U.S. naval ship in Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city. But there is another problem facing the seas of Singapore and the Philippines -- the world's highest incidence of piracy. "We are maintaining our border patrols down south and also in the north of the Philippines," says Lt. Commander Charleston Suniga of Philippines Naval Intelligence. "And we are coordinating this to our Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts because rampant piracy has been taking off." ActionGovernments are taking action, but not enough, according to analysts. Singapore became the first Asian port to allow U.S. customs officers to screen U.S.-bound cargo containers, with Hong Kong following closely behind. But that does little to address the threat to the region, experts say. The London-based International Maritime Bureau has issued several warnings and called for stricter security measures. Meanwhile, Indonesia says it will ask for international help to combat terrorism at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Mexico.
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