Ex al-Qaeda leader warns of militant attacks on French citizens as Malaysia, Indonesia tighten security

Terror attacks continue to haunt Europe although authorities in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur say they have not uncovered any plots

Ex-Malaysian PM Mahathir’s criticism of French President Macron helped defuse terror threat, says former militant Ali Fauzi

Reading Time:4 minutes

Muslim protesters display a banner referring to French President Emmanuel Macron during an anti-France demonstration in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00am, 4 Nov 2020Updated: 8:28pm, 4 Nov 2020

Malaysian and Indonesian authorities have tightened security following terror attacks in France and Austria as a former senior al-Qaeda figure warned of possible attacks against French citizens following French President Emmanuel Macron defence of free speech and what he said was the right to publish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

The warning comes as terror attacks continue to haunt western Europe, with Austria becoming the latest target after armed gunmen opened fire at multiple locations in Vienna on Monday night, killing four people and injuring 15 others. One gunman was shot dead while special forces were hunting for another gunman.

“In Indonesia, terror cells are active and will spring into action anytime, depending on the momentum. I predict there will be attacks on foreigners like French citizens” in Indonesia, Sofyan Tsauri, a former senior member of al-Qaeda of Southeast Asia, told This Week In Asia.

At the same time, Sofyan noted that Indonesia’s counterterrorism task force, Detachment 88, has been able “to map out” the country’s militant groups, meaning their movements were therefore “somewhat restricted”.

Between June 1 and August 12, Detachment 88 arrested 72 terror suspects across 13 provinces, including Jakarta and Bali.

Sofyan spent five years in an Indonesian prison for helping to arm terror groups. He was released in 2015 and now helps Indonesia’s efforts in countering violent extremism by sharing his knowledge at seminars.

On Monday, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb urged its followers to kill anyone insulting the Prophet and threatened Macron over his remarks on Islam. “Killing anyone who insults the Prophet is the right of each and every Muslim,” the jihadist group, known by its French acronym AQMI, said in a statement.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x