Malaysia Warns Thailand's Restive South Could Become Terrorist Breeding Ground

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Malaysia warns Thailand's restive south could become terrorist breeding ground

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: -- Thailand's insurgency-wracked southern provinces are in danger of becoming a breeding ground for regional Islamic terrorism, Malaysia's foreign minister said Thursday.

Syed Hamid Albar said terrorist groups could seek to build bases in Thailand's restive south, where more than 2,000 people have died since the insurgency flared up in January 2004.

He did not name the groups but analysts have said that operatives of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah could move into southern Thailand to take advantage of the unrest there.

"There is always a danger if people are not happy, some terrorist groups may take advantage of it ... we must not allow any breeding ground for terrorism to exist or to be nurtured," he told reporters ahead of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's three-day visit to Thailand from Sunday.

Muslims, who are a majority in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani, often complain of being treated like second-class citizens in Buddhist-dominated Thailand, with inadequate educational and job opportunities. They share both the religion and ethnicity of Malays, the largest ethnic group in Malaysia.

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Although the southern Thailand crisis has not flared into a regional problem, Syed Hamid said it is an "important factor in ensuring peace and security in the region."

"It may not have spilled over but ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) must look at certain security matters as one whole region," he said.

"We can help Thailand so long as it does not interfere with their domestic affairs. It's up to Thailand," he said. "We hope that they will find a way that will not allow for any terrorist groups to take advantage of the instability or unhappiness."

Syed Hamid also noted that the new military-backed government is more open than the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra that was ousted in a September coup. Thaksin's high-handed attitude toward southern Thais has been blamed for fueling the fires of the insurgency.

"I think Thailand now is more open ... they update us with their concerns, worries, so it is a more open government," Syed Hamid said.

He said Abdullah will hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Monday that will include security cooperation at the border and tackling the long-standing problem of dual citizenship of southern Thai Muslims, many of whom also hold Malaysian passports.

He said Malaysia will see what it can do to assist Thailand, which has sought help to train religious teachers and education materials on a moderate Islam.

Abdullah's government has pledged to help Thailand in its efforts to develop the southern provinces economically.

Surayud has taken a softer, more liberal approach in the south, but the pace of violent attacks by the insurgents has increased.

--AP 2007-02-08

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POST REPORTERS

A bomb squad inspects the scene of an explosion in front of a roadside shelter in Pattani's Yaring district yesterday morning. The site was only 100m from the sports stadium where HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's helicopter was due to land. — ABDULLOH BENYAKAJ

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Insurgents behead old man in South

Extremists in the South have beheaded a 72-year-old Buddhist rice miller in at least the 24th such atrocity since they escalated their insurgency just over three years ago.

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