Beyond Al Qaeda

<p>This paper examines the threat posed by Islamic terrorist groups in Southeast Asia and steps being taken by individual nations regional security organizations and the United States to combat them. It begins with a brief discussion of the origins of Radical Islam in the region and contextual factors that contributed to its rise and sustainment. Second the paper will examine individual terrorist groups in the Philippines Thailand and Jemaah Islamiyah a regional terrorist organization operating primarily in Indonesia but with links throughout the region. While this is far from an all-inclusive list of regional terrorist or insurgent groups these are the primary focus of regional and US concern. The paper also discusses links between Southeast Asian terror groups and al-Qaeda. Next it examines efforts by individual states and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to combat this threat their challenges and additional steps that need to be taken. Finally the paper examines the US response to the threat. Using the prism of the National Strategy for Combating Terror it addresses US efforts to identify and defeat terrorists and deny them sanctuary while diminishing the underlying causes of terror and support describing its effectiveness and identifying additional to be taken to win the war on Terrors' Second Front.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>