New IS camp in Mindanao to recruit Msians, Sporeans and Indons, says researcher

A new camp has been set up by militants of the Islamic State terrorism network to draw recruits from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, according to a researcher.

The camp is said to be in Basilan island in Mindanao province, the autonomous Muslim-majority region.

Terrorism researcher Dr Rohan Gunaratna of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University was quoted as saying that the camp and a new battalion of militants, had been set up to attract recruits who formerly would have had to go to Iraq and Syria to join the IS (or Daesh).

According to NST Online, he said about 10 Malaysians were in the new battalion, called Katibah Al-Muhajir, or Battalion of Migrants, comprising Malaysians and Indonesians.

Rohan said IS had announced the battalion in a propaganda video last month, saying that militants from South-East Asia would find it easier for potential members from South-East Asia to go to the Philippines.

NST, quoting the Inspector-General of Police, said Malaysia was checking the claims made in the video.