Southeast Asia on alert for al-Qaida and ISIS links after Kabul attack

Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia face risk of emboldened extremist groups at home

Indonesian police in December 2020 escort suspected militant Zulkarnaen, who is alleged to have been involved in the making of bombs used in a series of attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings. © AP

KOYA JIBIKI and YUICHI SHIGA, Nikkei staff writers

August 31, 2021 01:42 JST

JAKARTA/MANILA -- Law enforcement agencies in multiple Southeast Asian nations are on high alert against terrorist groups potentially emboldened by the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and a deadly Islamic State attack at the Kabul airport.

In Indonesia, the national police's counterterrorism detachment known as Densus 88 began monitoring social media and other sources for Taliban sympathizers.