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Singapore says terror attacks planned on oil tankers
Posted: 04 March 2010 1644 hrs
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SINGAPORE - An unidentified terrorist group is
planning attacks against oil tankers in the Malacca Strait, one of the world's
busiest shipping lanes, the Singapore Navy and a shipping association said
Thursday.
The Singapore Shipping Association said it had received an
advisory from the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre about "an indication
that a terrorist group is planning attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca
Strait."
It said "this does not preclude possible attacks on other large
vessels with dangerous cargo."
"The terrorists' intent is probably to
achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group," the
navy said in its advisory.
It reminded shipping operators that the
militants could use smaller vessels such as dinghies and speedboats to attack
oil tankers.
Pirates and robbers have also used small fishing vessels to
board ships during previous attacks in the Malacca Strait.
More than 30
per cent of world trade and half the world's oil shipments pass through the
strait, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
The navy
recommended that ships should "strengthen their onboard security measures and to
adopt community reporting to increase awareness and strengthen the safety of all
seafarers," according to the association.
One of the plots foiled by
Singapore authorities was a plan by Islamic militants to hijack an airliner in
Bangkok and crash it into Changi airport in 2001 following the September 11
attacks that year in the United States.
Singapore has also arrested
several militants involved in a plot to bomb the US embassy and other targets in
the city-state. - AFP/vm