Beyond Bombings:Islamic State Kidnappings in Southeast Asia

The Islamic State (IS) has its eye on Southeast Asia. While reports had emerged over the past year noting that the group aims to establish a territorial foothold or satellite province in the region, the attack in Jakarta in January 2016 was the first indication that IS had made significant inroads in this regard. This strategy has been further supported by the establishment of the so-called Katibah Nusantra, a Syria-based dedicated Southeast Asian combat unit within IS that is believed to have cells across the region. Local sympathy for the group is also reportedly strong, with between 800 and 1,000 Southeast Asians having left to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria, and 22 militant Islamist organisations in the region having pledged allegiance. Security agencies therefore remain on high alert. However, while attention is focused on preventing another explosive IS attack, smaller, more targeted incidents, such as kidnappings also warrant concern. 

Established militant Islamist groups that have pledged allegiance to IS are the most likely to be influenced to imitate IS kidnappings, as witnessed with the Philippines-based, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). While the ASG is renowned for staging kidnappings in its own right, a recent hostage video released in October 2015 points to this influence. Resembling the theatrics of IS cinematography, three foreign nationals kneel in front of two IS flags, as they are forced to read off the group’s demands while a knife is held to their throats. However, despite the use of IS imagery, ASG kidnappings are unlikely to fundamentally change as a result of the group’s pledge of allegiance. There has been no indication of a change in targets, ransom demands or length of detainment, for example, nor in the likelihood of an attack.
 

On the other hand, Southeast Asia is the only region where self-radicalised lone actors and foreign fighters have attempted to stage an IS-inspired kidnapping. In March 2016, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime minister revealed that the country’s anti-terrorism unit had foiled a plot by a group with ties to IS to kidnap various political leaders, including Prime Minister Najib Razak. The group of six, which included a foreign fighter and radicalised individuals, reportedly aimed to recruit at least 20 others to launch attacks and kidnappings in Malaysia. Seventeen suspects were subsequently arrested and are awaiting trial. Although this appears to have been an isolated incident, it nevertheless points to the level of influence of IS in the region, heightening the kidnapping threat in the short to medium term.