MUSLIMS from Southeast Asia who went to the Middle East to join the Islamic State (IS) remain a threat to the region especially now that activities of the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq are winding down, a former official of the Association of Southeast Asian Region (Asean) said Friday. “Therefore, we think that these returnees will contribute to the threat to Southeast Asia security if they go back to their home countries,” Ong said in a press conference in the sidelines of the Asean conference on peace and the prevention of violent extremism being held in Pasay City. “After spending those months and years with the Islamic State and its supporters the aim of course is to establish a wilayat (province) in Southeast Asia,” Ong said. There is an overall objective and everyone is committed to achieving this objective for Islamic state,” he added, referring to the activities of the extremists his team has monitored. Ong said took positive note of how Asean ministers consider extremism as a serious threat to peace and security in the region.

Source: Manila Times September 23, 2017 15:56 UTC