South East Asia: Radical Islamic magazine re-emerges in new form

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Philippines | 18 May 2018

The Islamic State group (IS) has recently restarted publishing its magazine, al-Fatihin, as RSIS reported on 4 May 2018. The magazine on religion and politics now appears weekly and is aimed at reaching a South East Asian readership. Thomas Muller, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "The RSIS analysts may or may not be correct in assuming that any rational mind will not buy into the violent IS mind-set, however, it would seem that recruitment is not the magazine"s primary goal. IS is more interested in using the articles to shape its readers" way of thinking. As its target audience seems to be Indonesia, al-Fatihin may be trying to fan existing sparks of interest among students (see Benar News, 3 May 2018). Elsewhere in South East Asia, radical Islam has already burst into flame, making Christians reluctant to move back to largely destroyed Marawi in the Philippines, as reported by Benar News on 2 May 2018. If progress in rebuilding the city proceeds at the current slow rate, this may lead to large numbers of displaced Muslims (especially young people with no employment prospects) seeking assistance from radical Islamic groups."