Recent arrests in Singapore and neighboring Malaysia have uncovered a suspected terrorist network in Southeast Asia linked to Osama bin Laden, raising concerns that the region's close ties to Washington could make it a target for terrorism. Authorities in Singapore say that the arrest of fifteen Islamic militants may have foiled a plot to bomb foreign targets on the island.

U.S. Embassy targeted
Singapore's Minister of Home Affairs said in a statement that the targets for attack included the U.S. embassy and American businesses. "We believe that the network has been disrupted. There is no information of any imminent threat," the statement  said.

The 15 suspects, included 14 Singaporeans and one Malaysian. They were arrested between December 9 and 24 under the  Internal Security Act, which allows suspects to be detained indefinitely without trial. Police conducted searches of their residences turned up al-Qaidah training materials, forged passports and immigration documents, and instructions on bomb construction. A video was also found which had apparently been made as part of target surveillance.

Eight of the arrested men had trained at al-Qaidah camps in Afghanistan, the government said. The group was allegedly linked to Jemaah Islamiah, a clandestine Islamic group with ties to similar groups in Malaysia and Indonesia. Several of the men were reported to be members of Singapore's armed forces.

Arrests in Malaysia
A day before Singapore announced the breakup of the cell, the government of Malaysia had announced the arrest of 13 suspects linked to al-Qaida and to three men accused of involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. The 15 suspects arrested in Singapore were believed to have links to Kumpulan Militan Malaysia, the same organization to which those arrested in Malaysia belonged.

Security around embassies and other sensitive areas in Singapore has been beefed up. Soon after the arrests, police set up a roadblock outside the Israeli Embassy. American interests, including Singapore's American Club were being guarded by armed Gurkhas, the elite Nepalese fighters who help maintain security across the region. Gurkhas have been guarding the U.S. Embassy since September 11.

While there are no signs of rising racial tension, Singapore continued to call for restraint and calm among the Chinese, Malay and Indian communities. "As investigations are on-going, we should avoid speculation," the ministry statement said. "The public should be assured that there is no cause for panic."

Malaysia and Singapore are two of the most stable countries in the region. However, their neighbors, Indonesia and the Philippines, have been plagued by ethnic and religious violence. Islamic groups in the Philippines have long been thought to receive training and financing from al-Qaidah.

American companies are one of the Southeast Asian city-state's largest employers. At the same time, Singapore has close strategic ties to Washington, and recently opened a deep-water navy base which was built specifically to accommodate giant U.S. aircraft carriers.

Singapore's Muslims solidly behind the government
Singapore's Muslim leaders have thrown their support behind the government, pointing out that those arrested were not mainstream Muslims. Syed Farid Alatas, a sociologist with the National University of Singapore, was quoted by Reuters as saying, "People seem to be confident about this not happening again because of the fact that it was isolated and not the kind of thing supported by the (larger) Muslim community,"

Meanwhile Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong warned that not all those involved in the plot had been taken into custody and that Singaporeans should be watchful. "I would say you cannot assume that there are no targets hidden away somewhere," he told local media.

Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Presse