SINGAPORE, family 16 Kyodo Singa...

SINGAPORE, family 16 Kyodo

Singapore has arrested another 21 family suspected of involvement with a militant Islamic cluster linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network, a certain number of of whom underwent military training at al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan, the family circle Affairs Ministry said Monday.

''As a originate of the continuing investigation forward the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network, the Internal Security Department has arrested another 21 persons...for involvement in terrorism-related activities,'' the ministry said in a statement.

The statement said the 21 all Singapore citizens, were arrested last month below the Internal Security Act, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

The latest arrests are in addition to 15 suspected Islamic militants arrested in Singapore last December for allegedly plotting to bomb the U Embassy and other strategic interest in the tiny island republic.

Malaysia has also arrested at least 60 suspects in a crackdown upon Islamic militancy.

the couple countries accused most of the detainees of belonging to the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah, which aims to establish a pan-Islamic state in the region between the walls of armed revolt.

The ministry's statement said 19 of the 21 arrested last month ''are or have been JI members, most numerous of whom belong to or are linked to JI operational cells'' while the remaining sum of two units are linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation brass (MILF), which is active in the southern Philippines.

A not many have undergone military training at al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan and at the MILF's Camp Abu Bakar in in succession the Philippine island of Mindanao, it said.

The statement said several have escorted reconnaissance and surveys of selecteded targets in Singapore on the instruction of their JI leaders, mostly of whom are among those arrested earlier in December.

''These latest arrests have seriously disrupted the JI network in Singapore,'' the statement said. ''There is no known imminent security threat from other JI uncompounded bodys in Singapore.

nevertheless it said that investigations are continuing to tread close upon up on leads and intelligence amassed and that the government would issue a detailed statement soon

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