The Islamic State in India & Southeast Asia

Abstract

As Iraqi forces launch operations to retake IS strongholds, there is palpable concern among governments around the world regarding fighters who may choose to return to their countries of origin or head to a new safe haven. It is within this context that the paper examines the influence of the IS in India and, further east, in Southeast Asia. It argues that the threat is essentially local and the networks enabling IS-inspired attacks are largely familiar to security forces in these regions. The paper concludes that the counter-war for these countries has to rightly focus now on the Islamic State – the ideology, rather than the Islamic State – the territorial entity in Iraq and Syria.

Keywords: Islamic State, ISIS, ISIL, India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Terrorism, Jihadist Networks, Jihad, Foreign Fighters, Counter-Terrorism