SINGAPORE, Sept 21: Singapore Muslim leaders on Saturday denounced the plans of suspected terrorists to create a Southeast Asian Islamic state by insurrection.

“There is nothing wrong with having a political ambition. But the way to achieve it should be in a free, democratic way,” said Abdul Rahman Sukir, secretary general of the Muhammadiyah Association.

The Singapore Malay National Organization (PKMS) said any group with an ideology of violence was being influenced by “external forces”, after suspects held in Singapore were linked to Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda.

“PKMS does not condone any orientation towards extremism and violence,” the organization said in a statement. The government has accused 21 suspected terrorists arrested last month of planning to cripple key installations and turn Chinese Singaporeans and Malay Muslims against each other.

It would be the first step towards overthrowing the Malaysian government, with the ultimate goal of creating an Islamic state covering Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Brunei.

In an effort to quell any potential for racial and religious violence, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong met leaders of Singapore’s Muslim community on Thursday night when the report was released.

He outlined that the latest arrests must be viewed as a national security issue and would not be allowed to taint Islam.

One person who attended the meeting said the reaction to details of the alleged terrorists’ plans was “mixture of shock and sadness”.

There was a feeling of “why must we become the centre of attention?” the person said.

Zulkeflee Ismail, manager of Pergas, an organization which teaches Islam, said the religion did not encourage anarchy.

But Zulkeflee said the definition of an Islamic state as planned by the accused terrorists, most of them members of the militant Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) organization, was unclear.

“The aim was to create a situation in Malaysia and Singapore conducive to overthowing the Malaysian government and making Malaysia an Islamic state,” the report said.—AFP