20 years after 9/11, is Malaysia ready for a similar attack?
An expert does not rule out the possibility of attempts to replicate the 2001 attacks on the New York twin towers, but believes Malaysia is more prepared now
The twin towers of the World Trade Center burn behind the Empire State Building in New York, Sept 11, 2001. Photo: AP
Twenty years after the events of Sept 11, 2001 where nearly 3,000 died in a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, an expert does not rule out the possibility of Malaysia too facing similar threats, given past experiences and similarities in architectural structures.
Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam, an anti-terrorist expert from Universiti Malaysia Perlis, said attacks by extremist groups on a smaller scale had been reported in the country.
He cited the bombing of the Carlsberg factory in Petaling Jaya and the arson attack on a temple in Batu Caves.
Twenty years after the events of Sept 11, 2001 where nearly 3,000 died in a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, an expert does not rule out the possibility of Malaysia too facing similar threats, given past experiences and similarities in architectural structures.
Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam, an anti-terrorist expert from Universiti Malaysia Perlis, said attacks by extremist groups on a smaller scale had been reported in the country.
He cited the bombing of the Carlsberg factory in Petaling Jaya and the arson attack on a temple in Batu Caves.
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“When we look at the pattern of attack, small-scale attacks can happen so it is not impossible for a large-scale attack to happen as well,” he told MalaysiaNow.
Mizan, who has authored several books as well as other publications, said such attacks might target the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC in the heart of the capital city, noting similarities between the iconic Malaysian structures and those in the US.
Mizan, who has authored several books as well as other publications, said such attacks might target the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC in the heart of the capital city, noting similarities between the iconic Malaysian structures and those in the US.
Malaysia shares many similarities with the US in terms of architectural structure, seen in its famous Twin Towers and KLCC buildings.
“It is seen as a possibility,” he added.
In the events of Sept 11, 2001 which have come to be known simply as 9/11, 19 individuals linked to Al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners, two of which were crashed into the World Trade Center.
A third flight crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, killing 184, while the fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, causing the death of 40.
More prepared after 20 years
Mizan said the event had had a significant impact on Malaysia, opening the eyes of the government and security forces to the importance of preparing for similar threats.
In the 20 years since 9/11, he said, there had been great improvement in terms of size and manpower in the country’s security forces especially the Anti-Terrorism Division or E8 under the Special Branch.
“Before 9/11, terrorist threats were seen on a small and more localised scale,” he said.
“So the size of the E8 unit then was very different from what it is now.”
He said the two decades had seen a paradigm shift for Malaysia’s security forces in terms of logistics, manpower and expertise.
He said the security forces would have taken into consideration the possibility of threats from that angle and conducted a variety of exercises to keep them on their toes.
“I believe we are ready to face threats of any sort,” he said, adding that these could not be completely avoided.
“We may be prepared for an inflow of firearms or explosives.”
Mizan said the most difficulty would likely involve so-called lone wolf attacks, especially those which utilise non-traditional weapons such as driving vehicles into crowded areas and colliding with large numbers of people.
He referred to the police whom he said have been especially firm in addressing the possibility of such threats by arresting individuals suspected of having links with terrorist groups.
“This shows that the police are taking the threat of a terrorist attack seriously. Even though the link might be small, they immediately arrest those involved and deradicalise them.”
“It is seen as a possibility,” he added.
In the events of Sept 11, 2001 which have come to be known simply as 9/11, 19 individuals linked to Al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners, two of which were crashed into the World Trade Center.
A third flight crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, killing 184, while the fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, causing the death of 40.
More prepared after 20 years
Mizan said the event had had a significant impact on Malaysia, opening the eyes of the government and security forces to the importance of preparing for similar threats.
In the 20 years since 9/11, he said, there had been great improvement in terms of size and manpower in the country’s security forces especially the Anti-Terrorism Division or E8 under the Special Branch.
“Before 9/11, terrorist threats were seen on a small and more localised scale,” he said.
“So the size of the E8 unit then was very different from what it is now.”
He said the two decades had seen a paradigm shift for Malaysia’s security forces in terms of logistics, manpower and expertise.
He said the security forces would have taken into consideration the possibility of threats from that angle and conducted a variety of exercises to keep them on their toes.
“I believe we are ready to face threats of any sort,” he said, adding that these could not be completely avoided.
“We may be prepared for an inflow of firearms or explosives.”
Mizan said the most difficulty would likely involve so-called lone wolf attacks, especially those which utilise non-traditional weapons such as driving vehicles into crowded areas and colliding with large numbers of people.
He referred to the police whom he said have been especially firm in addressing the possibility of such threats by arresting individuals suspected of having links with terrorist groups.
“This shows that the police are taking the threat of a terrorist attack seriously. Even though the link might be small, they immediately arrest those involved and deradicalise them.”
Today Everybody is talking about Zaki Anwari, an attacking midfielder for Afghanistan's national youth soccer team, died amid the chaos at Kabul airport. He fell to his death from a US C-17 Globemaster III as it took off from the airport.
ReplyDeleteNobody talks about the hundreds who chose to jump from the Burning Twin Towers on 911, rather than face a worse (?) alternative. Till Today The Falling Man Has No Name.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/The_Falling_Man.jpg
Al Qaeda was given refuge in Telly-ban Afghanistan but held the final phase meeting for planning 911 in KL. They obviously felt very safe among their abang-adik.
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
The 2000 Kuala Lumpur al-Qaeda Summit was a meeting of several high-level al-Qaeda members held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 5 January to 8 January 2000.
The three-day-long meeting was held in the hotel room of Yazid Sufaat, a former Malaysian Army captain and businessman, in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The summit's purpose was allegedly to plan future attacks, which included the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole and the 11 September 2001 attack plot. The attendance consisted of Arab veterans of the Soviet–Afghan War, including Hambali, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Nawaf al-Hazmi, Khalid al-Mihdhar, and Tawfiq bin Attash.
Before the meeting, the United States intercepted a telephone call to Yemen by al-Mihdhar concerning arrangements for the trip. Osama bin Laden had called that number dozens of times. By request of the CIA, the Malaysian authorities videotaped the meeting, but no sound recordings were made. The men were also photographed when they came out of the meeting. American investigators did not identify these men until much later. That bin al-Shibh attended the meeting was discovered by the investigators by looking into his credit card records. Sufaat was later arrested, but he denied that he knew any of the men and said that Hambali had arranged the meeting.
UNQUOTE
I think because Taliban Bomb Bamiyan Buddhas the more likely targets in Malay-sia will be the Sleeping Buddha in Kelate (Wat Phothivihan) and in Penang (Chaiya Mangalaram Thai Buddhist Temple). Or maybe Batu Caves.
ReplyDeleteBut if Telly-ban apologize and rebuild Bamiyan Buddhas to prove they are Born-Again, then we should feel safer.
The Malaysian Government and security forces lack the capacity as well as the will to fight Islamist terrorism for the same reasons as for Western countries faced with White Supremacists, or Communist countries harboring and aiding "national liberation movements"
ReplyDeleteIts "Our Own People", and many in the government apparatus are already semi-sympathisers or even full-fledged supporters.
The Malaysian Government has taken the view whatever they do regarding other countries is not any responsibility of Malaysia, as long as they do not commit any violence in Malaysia.
You just need to see the deep respect accorded to the return for burial of the Malaysian terrorist who was tried, sentenced to death and hanged in Indonesia.