http://www.littlespeck.com/content/security/CTrendsSecurity-090508.htm
Littlespeck.com, 9 May 2009, Seah Chiang Nee
That the dangerous Mas Selamat Kastari is back in custody is good news for Southeast Asia, and a testimony of Singapore-Malaysia cooperation.
But it seems to have resulted in the controlled media of the two countries giving different slants of the arrest, so we'll have to wait for the official versions to know the truth.
Here are some of the conflicting versions reported in their largest newspapers - The Star and The Straits Times – apparently after talking to official sources.
(1) Joint operation?
Straits Times: Sources told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat was tracked down based on intelligence provided by Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD), and a joint operation by Malaysia and Singapore’s security agencies eventually led to his arrest.
The Star: The fugitive, who escaped from a Singapore maximum security detention centre (with two other suspects) was arrested in Johor by Malaysian Special Branch officers with the help of other police departments here. No mention of a joint operation with Singapore.
Who is right? Was it a joint operation or a Malaysian one? For consideration: it is possible that the Malaysians do not want to tell their people that Singaporean Special branch was operating with them in Johor - if indeed it did happen.
(2) Intelligence gathering
Straits Times: Sources told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat was tracked down based on intelligence provided by Singapore’s ISD.
The Star: The sharing of information between three countries - Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - has led to the arrest of Kastari who was hiding in Johor.
Translation: Unlike the Straits Times report, intelligence had not come from Singapore alone, but from Indonesia as well.
In addition there’s also the reward of S$1 million - offered for information leading to Kastari’s capture - to consider. Who will get it?
‘Return to Singapore’
There are potential obstacles to remove before Kastari can eb returned to continue his detention in Singapore.
While Singapore's government-controlled Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that Kastari is likely "to be returned to Singapore soon" the Malaysians are giving no indications of this.
Instead their Home Minister, Hishamuddin Hussein, said it would depend on bilateral talks, implying that it is something to negotiate over.
Mas Selamat is now under Malaysia's own Internal Security Act (ISA). "He is under our detention and is being investigated right now. He was planning something which allows us to arrest him," he said.
The implication is that Kuala Lumpur may have grounds to detain him for its own security reasons.
If - only a remote if – the investigation were to turn up evidence that the 48-year-old suspect was plotting terrorism in Malaysia during the past year, he might possibly remain under Malaysian detention.
That would put Singapore in an embarrassing situation of seeing escaped detainee remaining outside its grasp.
The Singapore government, especially Home Affairs Minister, Wong Kan Seng, whose is blamed for Kastri's incredible escape 13 months ago, obviously wants Kastari back as quickly as possible.
The Malaysians, on the other hand, appear not to see any urgency in releasing their prize catch. Unless, of course, they can extract some benefits from it!
-------------------------
Latest updates at Singapore News Alternative:
1. Singapore - haven for money and fugitives
2. Singapore officials embarrassed by capture of terror suspect who left behind pants to hide escape
3. Taiwan can ink FTA with Singapore: President Ma Ying-jeou
4. Political implications of Mas Selamat’s re-arrest
5. AWARE Saga - A Trial Run For Post-Lee Kuan Yew Era
6. Mas Selamat's Arrest Kept Secret To Safeguard Operation .
Littlespeck.com, 9 May 2009, Seah Chiang Nee
That the dangerous Mas Selamat Kastari is back in custody is good news for Southeast Asia, and a testimony of Singapore-Malaysia cooperation.
But it seems to have resulted in the controlled media of the two countries giving different slants of the arrest, so we'll have to wait for the official versions to know the truth.
Here are some of the conflicting versions reported in their largest newspapers - The Star and The Straits Times – apparently after talking to official sources.
(1) Joint operation?
Straits Times: Sources told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat was tracked down based on intelligence provided by Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD), and a joint operation by Malaysia and Singapore’s security agencies eventually led to his arrest.
The Star: The fugitive, who escaped from a Singapore maximum security detention centre (with two other suspects) was arrested in Johor by Malaysian Special Branch officers with the help of other police departments here. No mention of a joint operation with Singapore.
Who is right? Was it a joint operation or a Malaysian one? For consideration: it is possible that the Malaysians do not want to tell their people that Singaporean Special branch was operating with them in Johor - if indeed it did happen.
(2) Intelligence gathering
Straits Times: Sources told The Straits Times that Mas Selamat was tracked down based on intelligence provided by Singapore’s ISD.
The Star: The sharing of information between three countries - Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - has led to the arrest of Kastari who was hiding in Johor.
Translation: Unlike the Straits Times report, intelligence had not come from Singapore alone, but from Indonesia as well.
In addition there’s also the reward of S$1 million - offered for information leading to Kastari’s capture - to consider. Who will get it?
‘Return to Singapore’
There are potential obstacles to remove before Kastari can eb returned to continue his detention in Singapore.
While Singapore's government-controlled Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that Kastari is likely "to be returned to Singapore soon" the Malaysians are giving no indications of this.
Instead their Home Minister, Hishamuddin Hussein, said it would depend on bilateral talks, implying that it is something to negotiate over.
Mas Selamat is now under Malaysia's own Internal Security Act (ISA). "He is under our detention and is being investigated right now. He was planning something which allows us to arrest him," he said.
The implication is that Kuala Lumpur may have grounds to detain him for its own security reasons.
If - only a remote if – the investigation were to turn up evidence that the 48-year-old suspect was plotting terrorism in Malaysia during the past year, he might possibly remain under Malaysian detention.
That would put Singapore in an embarrassing situation of seeing escaped detainee remaining outside its grasp.
The Singapore government, especially Home Affairs Minister, Wong Kan Seng, whose is blamed for Kastri's incredible escape 13 months ago, obviously wants Kastari back as quickly as possible.
The Malaysians, on the other hand, appear not to see any urgency in releasing their prize catch. Unless, of course, they can extract some benefits from it!
-------------------------
Latest updates at Singapore News Alternative:
1. Singapore - haven for money and fugitives
2. Singapore officials embarrassed by capture of terror suspect who left behind pants to hide escape
3. Taiwan can ink FTA with Singapore: President Ma Ying-jeou
4. Political implications of Mas Selamat’s re-arrest
5. AWARE Saga - A Trial Run For Post-Lee Kuan Yew Era
6. Mas Selamat's Arrest Kept Secret To Safeguard Operation .
