March 14, 2009 New 'Al-Qaeda' in SE Asia By Shefali Rekhi, Assistant Foreign Editor

A new group calling itself the Al-Qaeda, formed by Osama Bin Laden (pictured here) has emerged in South-east Asia. --PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE A NEW group calling itself the Al-Qaeda in South-east Asia has tried to mobilise support from the region for jihad in Pattani, where insurgents continue to battle the Thai government in the Muslimmajority south. The group is the second to use terror network Al-Qaeda's name in the region, after escaped militant mastermind Noordin Top formed a Jemaah Islamiah (JI) splinter group, called the Al-Qaeda for the Malay Archipelago, about three years ago. The existence of this new terror outfit became known when its leader - who identified himself as Abu Ubaidah - was interviewed last May by a Khattab Media Publication, though little is known about it. Analysts have described the setting up of the group as a feeble attempt by hardliners to use the conflict in southern Thailand to rally jihadists in South-east Asia. They note that two hardline Islamist magazines in Indonesia - the Jihadmagz and the Sabili - had also recently published articles on southern Thailand. The interview, which was posted online, was picked up by five Malaysian blogs and four Indonesian websites, said Ms Pacharapun Tinnabal from the United States Embassy in Bangkok. The official, who was speaking in her personal capacity, mentioned the new terror group at a Singapore conference on the insurgency in southern Thailand, which was organised by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies this week. Security experts are aware of the group, but say there was not much to suggest a real threat. In the interview, Abu Ubaidah urged Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia to join the struggle in Pattani, which he described as a legitimate jihad and not a nationalist insurgency. Among websites where the interview could be found was the hardline Islamist Arrahmah website, which is manned by Indonesian Muhammad Jibril Abdul Rahman. He is the son of Abu Jibril, a hardline JI preacher who mentored escaped terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari. Terror experts have tried to identify Abu Ubaidah's origin, but it remains unclear.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of the Straits Times. http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_350033.html