Terror threats resurface in East Malaysia, wider region
The United Kingdom, after Australia and New Zealand, is warning its citizens against travel to coastal islands in the East Malaysian state of Sabah bordering the Philippines, saying there are “high threats” to foreigners of kidnapping and violence in the area.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised the terrorism threat level for the islands to “high” from “general”, and advised against “all but essential” travel to the popular, yet exotic holiday destinations and resorts there.
There has been an increase in kidnapping by groups operating in the southern Philippines, some with the ability to conduct kidnaps on the coast of Sabah, the office said. Australia and New Zealand have been upholding a similar warning since last year.
The US State Department currently does not have a travel advisory specifically for Malaysia, but its travel warning for the Philippines updated October 2015 said that US citizens should defer non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago, a chain of islands between southern Philippines and Sabah, due to the “high threat” of kidnappings and violence linked to insurgency and terrorism.
Meanwhile, police in Thailand said they will increase security at major locations throughout Thailand after the US embassy reportedly issued a (general) warning of a possible attack from the Islamic State (IS) terror group.
The warning indicates possible attacks in public places, such as shopping malls, tourist spots, entertainment venues, the subway and skytrain systems. However, the government in Bangkok said that the warning is “not specifically aimed at Thailand” but for entire region and it came as the IS group is expanding its influence in ASEAN countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
Police, while stepping up security at the mentioned places, added that no activities by IS have been detected in Thailand and people “should not panic.”
In December last year, a local newspaper reported that ten Syrian members of IS had apparently slipped into Thailand to attack Russian interests, citing classified information from the Russian Federal Security Service. The memo indicated that the alleged terrorists traveled to Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok. Thai Police, however, said they found found no evidence of potential IS intruders.
The United Kingdom, after Australia and New Zealand, is warning its citizens against travel to coastal islands in the East Malaysian state of Sabah bordering the Philippines, saying there are "high threats" to foreigners of kidnapping and violence in the area. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised the terrorism threat level for the islands to "high" from "general", and advised against "all but essential" travel to the popular, yet exotic holiday destinations and resorts there. There has been an increase in kidnapping by groups operating in the southern Philippines, some with the ability to conduct kidnaps on the coast...
The United Kingdom, after Australia and New Zealand, is warning its citizens against travel to coastal islands in the East Malaysian state of Sabah bordering the Philippines, saying there are “high threats” to foreigners of kidnapping and violence in the area.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised the terrorism threat level for the islands to “high” from “general”, and advised against “all but essential” travel to the popular, yet exotic holiday destinations and resorts there.
There has been an increase in kidnapping by groups operating in the southern Philippines, some with the ability to conduct kidnaps on the coast of Sabah, the office said. Australia and New Zealand have been upholding a similar warning since last year.
The US State Department currently does not have a travel advisory specifically for Malaysia, but its travel warning for the Philippines updated October 2015 said that US citizens should defer non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago, a chain of islands between southern Philippines and Sabah, due to the “high threat” of kidnappings and violence linked to insurgency and terrorism.
Meanwhile, police in Thailand said they will increase security at major locations throughout Thailand after the US embassy reportedly issued a (general) warning of a possible attack from the Islamic State (IS) terror group.
The warning indicates possible attacks in public places, such as shopping malls, tourist spots, entertainment venues, the subway and skytrain systems. However, the government in Bangkok said that the warning is “not specifically aimed at Thailand” but for entire region and it came as the IS group is expanding its influence in ASEAN countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
Police, while stepping up security at the mentioned places, added that no activities by IS have been detected in Thailand and people “should not panic.”
In December last year, a local newspaper reported that ten Syrian members of IS had apparently slipped into Thailand to attack Russian interests, citing classified information from the Russian Federal Security Service. The memo indicated that the alleged terrorists traveled to Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok. Thai Police, however, said they found found no evidence of potential IS intruders.
