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Recent publicity over the trials in Indonesia of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members has again brought the spotlight onto this elusive group and their operations around the region. This article begins by tracing the global and regional roots of the organization from conflict in the Middle East to the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet Afghan War. These events have contributed to the remarkable success of Osama bin Laden, his Al-Qaeda network and the call to Islamic jihad, all achieved by harnessing Muslim extremist forces to coincide with the Zeitgeist of increasing religious orthodoxy and the politicization of the ummah. Links are drawn between the Al-Qaeda and JI networks, as well as with other regional groups. The radicalization of Islam in Southeast Asia is depicted as not such a recent phenomenon, but an evolution of political, social, and educational practices across the region. Progressive and inclusive states like Singapore are not immune to the JI's insidious presence - they can only hope to reduce the ongoing terrorist threat through robust security measures and effective public policies which incorporate education and dialogue with Muslim leaders and the wider Islamic community.
Introduction
The exposure of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network in Singapore and the region, coming in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and the 12 October 2002 Bali bombing, may have led some to think that Islamic radicalism in Southeast Asia is a sudden and recent phenomenon. In reality, it has been in the making for more than 20 years; its roots originate in events in the Middle East, the effects of which have reverberated worldwide. This in turn was facilitated by the impact of globalization and technological advancement. However, the catalytic role played by Al-Qaeda, especially since the early 1990s, is perhaps the single most significant factor in the globalized terrorist threat confronting the world today.
The potency of Al-Qaeda rests in its ability to channel the Islamic forces it inspires. More than any other leader before him, Osama bin Laden has been able to unify radical Islam and to focus its rage. However, Osama's success must be seen in the context of two parallel historical developments - namely, the polarization of Islamic extremist forces coinciding with a broader...