US bombers flew near China-built island in South China Sea - Pentagon



WASHINGTON: Two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers flew near artificial Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea this week and were contacted by Chinese ground controllers but continued their mission undeterred, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

The latest U.S. patrol in the disputed South China Sea occurred in advance of President Barack Obama's visit to the region next week to attend Asia-Pacific summits where he is expected the reassert Washington's commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the area.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than US$5 trillion in global trade passes every year, and the United States has said it will continue conducting patrols to assure unimpeded passage. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims in the region.

In the latest mission, which occurred overnight on Nov. 8-9, the bombers flew "in the area" of the Spratly Islands but did not come within the 12-nautical-mile zones that China claims as territory around islands it has built in the chain, said Commander Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman.

"The B-52s were on a routine mission in the SCS (South China Sea)," taking off from and returning to Guam, Urban said.

Chinese ground controllers contacted the bombers but the aircraft continued their mission unabated, Urban said.

"We conduct B-52 flights in international air space in that part of the world all the time," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told a news briefing earlier on Thursday.

Last month, a U.S. warship challenged territorial limits around one of China's man-made islands in the Spratly archipelago with a so-called freedom-of-navigation patrol, the most significant U.S. challenge yet to territorial limits China claims around its new islands. China reacted angrily to the patrol.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he did not know whether the South China Sea would be on the formal agenda at any of the three Asia summits that Obama will attend but added that it would be “on the minds and lips” of world leaders who gather there.

Obama's first stop will be Manila for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, where Chinese President Xi Jinping will also be present. The U.S. president will then go to Kuala Lumpur for ASEAN and East Asia summits.

"We are quite concerned about protecting freedom of navigation, the free flow of commerce in the South China Sea," Earnest told reporters. "And we're going to continue to encourage all parties, big and small, to resolve their differences diplomatically and to not try to use their comparative size and strength to intimidate their neighbours."

In an apparent show of U.S. resolve, Obama will take part in what the White House described as “an event that showcases U.S. maritime security assistance to the Philippines". U.S. officials did not elaborate.

But in September, Navy Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, visited the National Coast Watch Center, a facility at the Philippines coast guard headquarters that Washington has helped Manila build to improve its ability to monitor developments in the South China Sea.

(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick; editing by Doina Chiacu, Christian Plumb and Ken Wills)

- Reuters

Twin blasts claimed by IS group kill 41 in Beirut Hezbollah bastion



BEIRUT: Twin bomb blasts claimed by the Islamic State group killed 41 people on Thursday (Nov 12) on a busy shopping street in a Beirut stronghold of the Shiite movement Hezbollah, the worst such attack in years.

Speaking from the scene, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour said more than 200 people had been wounded, many of them in serious condition.

The blasts appeared to mark a return to a campaign of attacks that targeted the group's strongholds between 2013 and 2014, ostensibly in revenge for its military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The blasts hit a narrow shopping street in the Burj al-Barajneh neighbourhood that is also home to a street market.

IS claimed the blasts in an online statement. "Soldiers of the Caliphate" detonated explosives planted on a motorbike in an area frequented by Shiites, using a derogatory term to refer to the sect, the statement said.

"After the apostates gathered in the area, one of the knights of martyrdom detonated his explosive belt in the midst of them," the statement added.

The claim could not be independently verified but it followed the usual format of IS claims of responsibility and was circulated on jihadist online accounts.

The army said the attacks were carried out by two suicide bombers and that the body of a third, who had failed to detonate his explosive device, had been found at the scene of the second blast.

'Thought world ended'

The attacks were the deadliest to hit a Hezbollah stronghold since the group entered the conflict in neighbouring Syria in 2013 in support of Assad. A string of them targeted areas where the group is popular throughout 2013 and 2014.

In the most recent one in the southern suburbs of Beirut in June of last year, a suicide car bomb killed a security officer.

Burj al-Barajneh is a largely impoverished suburb of the city home to a mostly Shiite Muslim population. The neighbourhood is bordered by the Burj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp.

At the scene, an AFP photographer saw extensive damage to buildings around the site of the blast and bodies inside some of the nearby shops. There was blood on the streets, and security forces were trying to cordon off the scene and keep people from gathering.

Local television stations showed footage of wounded people being carried away by emergency services and civilians.

"I'd just arrived at the shops when the blast went off. I carried four bodies with my own hands, three women and a man, a friend of mine," a man who gave his name as Zein al-Abideen Khaddam told local television.

Another described the sound of the blasts. "When the second blast went off, I thought the world had ended," he said.

The wounded were evacuated to several hospitals in the area, including the Bahman hospital in neighbouring Haret Hreik. "We've received dozens of wounded people and they're continuing to arrive," a doctor there told AFP.

Day of national mourning

Prime Minister Tammam Salam announced a national day of mourning for Friday, local media reported. And former premier Saad Hariri, who leads a political bloc opposed to Hezbollah and its allies, condemned the blast as "vile and unjustified".

Between July 2013 and February 2014, there were nine attacks on Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, mostly claimed by Sunni extremist group. Despite ostensibly targeting Hezbollah, the victims of the attacks have been overwhelmingly civilians.

The deadliest in southern Beirut was in 2013, when 27 people were killed by a car bomb in the Rweiss district. The attacks were claimed by several different Sunni groups, but all cited Hezbollah's role in the conflict in Syria.

However the IS statement did not mention the conflict, instead using strictly sectarian language against Shiites.

Hezbollah is a staunch ally of the Syrian regime and is backed by Iran, another key supporter of the Damascus government.

In early 2013, it dispatched fighters to back government forces against a Sunni-dominated uprising that began with anti-regime demonstrations in March 2011.

Since then, it has become deeply involved in the conflict, deploying fighters throughout the country to bolster Assad's troops on a range of battlefields.

At least 971 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Syria, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

- AFP/de

huuu huu... dah buat napoleon marah...

Zzzz... apala terrorist bodo nih... esok sy kena organize spartan race... ini pulak mindef ask to be on standby... kalau balik kem mati aq

high explosive lettew

heh... race in singkieland





hahaha... kawan sy polis kena panggil balik...

Malaysian militants plan to start ISIS faction in S-E Asia

Wanted Malaysian militants hiding in the southern Philippines are planning to form an "official" faction of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in South-east Asia by bringing together terror groups in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, including Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf .

Former Universiti Malaya lecturer Mahmud Ahmad and his comrades - sundry goods shop owner Mohd Najib Husen and former local council employee Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee - who have been on Malaysia's wanted list since April last year, have been identified as individuals integral to this unification plan, The Star reported.

The head of the Malaysian police's Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division told the newspaper in an exclusive interview that Mahmud, who is a high priority on the wanted list, was not satisfied with just participating in the Abu Sayyaf, but wanted to form a South-east Asian faction of the ISIS.

"He has performed the bai'ah or the oath of allegiance on video but to form the South-east Asian cell of IS, Mahmud has to travel to Syria and swear his allegiance in front of IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi," Senior Assistant Commissioner Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said, using another name for ISIS.

"We discovered through intelligence sharing that going to Syria is his priority now," Datuk Ayob said, adding that the veteran militant, who trained with Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, had previously used his lecturer position at a private college to recruit students into militancy.

He warned that if Mahmud, also known as Abu Handzalah, were to succeed in uniting terror cells in the region under one banner, the region would face more danger.



Besides the Jemaah Islamiah and the Abu Sayyaf, other terror groups in the region include Tanzim Al-Qaeda, Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia and Darul Islam Sabah.

Sources in the Philippines military said the three Malaysian militants remain their top-priority targets and operations to get them are ongoing.

Criminologist P. Sundramoorthy told The Sunday Times that he believed the Malaysian militants' attempt to form an inter-nation terror group was due to the fact that they have been unable to gain sufficient support from any individual country.

Associate Professor Sundramoorthy, who is from Universiti Sains Malaysia's Research Team on Crime and Policing, said these militants have now gone beyond the scope of religion.

"Many still think IS champions the rights of Islam but it has got to do with social injustice, economic inequalities, political suppression and other reasons. But unfortunately, religion has been used as an anchor to all these motivations," he said.

Philippine defence analyst Jose Antonio Custodio believes the militants use the ISIS flag as a ploy to get more support from abroad and money.

"They're just after money. They're still basically merchants. The dynamics are different. There is sectarian violence there (in Syria). We don't have that here (in the Philippines)," he said.

"The trend is that they have deteriorated into a cottage industry - kidnapping. Muslims in the Philippines are generally more predisposed to mercantilism, not idealism."

To stem the growth of such terror groups, Prof Sundramoorthy said international efforts are needed to address the root causes, such as social injustice, so as to prevent divisions in society that may lead to problems of terrorism.

Earlier this year, Malaysian police foiled an ISIS terror plot to attack the Saudi Arabia and Qatar embassies in Kuala Lumpur.

They also arrested and deported five Maldives residents, including a suspect believed to be involved in an assassination attempt on Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen.

thanks to terror hub being next door...

Turkey cancels S$4.84 billion missile deal with China



ANTALYA, Turkey (AFP) - Turkey has cancelled a multi-billion-dollar deal with China to build its first anti-missile system that had alarmed Ankara's allies in NATO, a Turkish official said on Sunday.

"The deal was cancelled," the official from Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's office said.

"One of the main reasons is that we will launch our own national missile project," added the official.

The news came as Turkey hosted key Western allies including US President Barack Obama and Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the summit of G20 top economies in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya.

Turkey entered negotiations in 2013 with the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) to finalise a contract worth S$4.84 billion.

French-Italian consortium Eurosam and US-listed Raytheon Co had also submitted offers but the government had prioritised talks with the Chinese company, which raised serious concerns over the compatibility of CPMIEC's systems with NATO missile defences.

NATO has said missile systems within the alliance must be compatible with each other while calling on Turkey to take this factor into account.

Turkish government sources said an official announcement was expected next week.

A second Turkish official said the issue of technology transfer was one of the major stumbling blocks in negotiations with the Chinese company.

"They refused to give what we demanded," the official said, without elaborating. "The talks were blocked at some point."

Although the government's current plans to build Turkish-made missile defence system, it was not immediately clear if Ankara would launch talks with the European and American contenders.

Washington was particularly irked by Turkish decision to negotiate with the Chinese company, which has been hit by a series of US sanctions for selling arms and missile technology to Iran and Pakistan.

Turkey in the past made confusing comments over its lucrative tender, with a government minister saying the Chinese company was the winner and that its system could be used without integrating with NATO systems.

But a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had insisted that the missile system would be harmonious and integrated with NATO defence architecture.

http://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/t...deal-with-china

Terrorism threat in Southeast Asia a 'serious, difficult' issue: PM Lee



SINGAPORE: The terrorism threat in Southeast Asia is a serious and difficult problem, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in an interview published on Monday (Nov 16).

In the interview with The Australian newspaper that was held before the multiple terror attacks in Paris, Mr Lee said that it is not just "random individuals" who are being radicalised and going to Syria to join ISIS.

Mr Lee pointed to Malaysia as an example, noting that there were repeated incidents of people from the army going to Syria. He said Malaysia had just arrested two commandos on top of nearly a dozen military personnel earlier.

He also made reference to Indonesia, saying that there are parts of the country which are remote from centres of government. “If (the radicals) set up a little base camp there and call that ISIS in Southeast Asia or some such title, then that is another focal point which can attract activists to go to as a kind of Mecca,” he said.

Even individuals who have been jailed could still pose a problem, said Mr Lee. He noted that in jail, radicals have been able to hold press conferences as well as ceremonies pledging allegiance to ISIS.

“Their terms of imprisonment are completed and then, they are released and it’s not at all clear that they are less dangerous than now than they used to be,” he added. Several hundred in Indonesian prisons are due to be released this year and next. Mr Lee said that while Indonesia is taking this very seriously, it could be a difficult problem for them.

Mr Lee also shared his thoughts on why such violent ideology persists, calling it a "very difficult" problem.

“It is not purely religion and yet it is not unrelated to a certain warped view of religion. Some people genuinely persuade themselves that this is the way to heaven and so they pursue this perverted path,” he said. “Others know very little about religion or doctrine. Something has gone with their life and this is their way to hit out at the world or at their society.

“Some of them are young people who are just misled. They are at the soul-searching stage of their lives and they stumble across this and then, get led deeper and deeper in and then, it is almost too late,” he added. “We have picked up students who are like that. They are in school and they did not have a network. It is not that they had radical friends but somehow they became interested in this.”

Mr Lee said it was lucky that authorities have discovered such students.

- CNA/xq

On 13 Nov, 40 Rangers earned the coveted 'Ranger' tabs after undergoing 65 days of rigorous training.

The SAF Ranger Course, also known as the toughest course in the SAF, trains small unit leaders in realistic tactical environment under mental and physical stress, which is akin to that found in real combat missions.
Our Chief, BG Melvyn Ong, was present as the Guest-of-Honour for the 42nd SAF Ranger Course Graduation.

Well done and congratulations to all the newly minted Rangers!

Rangers Lead The Way!

The Republic of Singapore Air Force - Exercise Commando Sling 25th Anniversary

"Over the 25 years, our relationship has become very strong and that is a force multiplier for both countries... as along as the relationship is strong, we can continue to move forward, hand in hand as great partners."

- Major General Abel Barrientes, U.S. Pacific Air Forces Mobilization Assistant to the Vice Commander. Together with Head Air Operations, BG Kelvin Khong, Maj. Gen. Barrientes officiated the Exercise Commando Sling 25th Anniversary ceremony and unveiled the commemorative plaque at Paya Lebar Air Base last Friday.

This bilateral exercise was inaugurated in 1991 to provide combined air combat training for USAF and RSAF fighter units to strengthen operational competencies and enhance the inter-operability between both Air Forces.

Exercise Commando Sling also provides the opportunity for all participating airmen and women to build stronger friendships through the years.


waaa. gemok boroi jugak murica nih
BG Kelvin Khong and Maj. Gen. Abel Barrientes officiated the Exercise Commando Sling 25th Anniversary ceremony and unveiled the commemorative plaque.

BG Kelvin Khong and Maj. Gen. Abel Barrientes together with senior RSAF and USAF officers at the Exercise Commando Sling 25th Anniversary ceremony.

Exercise Commando Sling was inaugurated in 1991 to provide combined air combat training for USAF and RSAF fighter units to strengthen operational competencies and enhance the inter-operability between both Air Forces.

Exercise Commando Sling also provides the opportunity for all participating airmen and women to build stronger friendships through the years.

all gotta use ar15 platform?

Malaysia arrests 5 for suspected terrorist activities



The four Malaysians and one Indonesian are said to have links with Islamic State and another regional terror network known as Iman Mah-di.

By Melissa Goh, Malaysia Bureau Chief, Channel NewsAsia
POSTED: 16 Nov 2015 22:30 UPDATED: 17 Nov 2015 01:01

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has arrested four Malaysians and one Indonesian for suspected terrorist activities, with just days to go before the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

The suspects, aged between 22 and 40, are said to have links with the Islamic State militant group, and another regional terror network known as Iman Mah-di.

The arrests come as authorities beef up security at the ASEAN Summit ahead of the arrival of world leaders, including US President Barack Obama and heads of government from China, Japan, Korea and Russia.

The terrorist attacks in Paris came just a week before the opening of the 27th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, and they have put authorities on even higher alert. The government said it will increase security for the upcoming summit, including stepping up checks at all entry points. It has vowed to use every means at its disposal to prevent a terror attack from happening in the country.

Speaking in Parliament two days after the attack, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan gave the assurance that the police counter-terrorism and special intelligence units are constantly monitoring communications in cyberspace among militant suspects.

He said: "After what happened to Charlie Hebdo in January, nobody should be really surprised by what happened in Paris. You (can) see how difficult it is for authorities to monitor and stop this new type of terrorists; they just operate in small groups of five to 10 people but they can create maximum havoc."

Malaysia has arrested more than 150 terror suspects, including 24 women, since 2013. It has also successfully stopped many from leaving the country to join Islamic State in the Middle East. But now, Kuala Lumpur and its leaders too have become targets of attacks, according to police intelligence.

This follows an apparent shift in IS’ strategy, to fight its enemies on two fronts - in Syria and Iraq, and against other countries that oppose it.

Said Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein: "We've made a very strong stand against them. We have brought all 10 ASEAN countries united against them. We are the moderate phase of Islam which does not represent what they stand for."

In October, at a session of the United Nations' General Assembly, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak promised to accept up to 3,000 Syrian refugees over three years. Malaysia said it will not turn its back on this promise, although early investigations into the Paris attacks suggest a suicide bomber might have entered Europe among refugees from Syria.

Mr Nur said: “Let’s not paint all Syrian refugees in the same light. We assume they are not terrorists but we have to filter their background, to make sure they don’t pose a threat to the country if we decide to take them in."

Kuala Lumpur will be screening all refugees thoroughly before accepting them into society.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapa...or/2266654.html