Baghdadi’s dead, but Islamic State’s ideology lives on in Southeast Asia
- Security agencies in the region are bracing for possible retaliatory attacks following the US’ killing of the terror group leader
- Analysts and authorities say the threat will remain as long as the ideology keeps spreading, with self-radicalised individuals a concern
Said Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, head of the Royal Malaysian Police’s Special Branch counterterrorism division: “[Baghdadi’s] death will not have any impact on Malaysia … as all terror attack plans in Malaysia came from lone wolves and self-radicalised [individuals] who were influenced by the Salafi jihadism ideology of Isis.
“As long as the Isis ideology is not eliminated, as long as other groups who adhere to the Salafi jihadi ideology are not eliminated, the threat of terror will remain,” he said, pointing to how the al-Qaeda terror group continues to exist after the 2011 death of founder Osama bin Laden.
Salafi jihadism is a political and religious ideology based on the Salafi movement of returning to what its adherents believe is a “true” version of Islam.
