"They (the U.S.) are afraid of their own shadow, afraid to come here, afraid because they know there are many people in this world hating them."

Additional reporting by Kazi Mahmood, IOL Southeast Asia correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR , May 16 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad lambasted Washington Friday, May 16, for issuing a terror alert to citizens traveling to Malaysia and other South East Asian countries, saying it was "afraid of its own shadow."

He charged that the United States was acting like "tyrants in fear, just like (deposed Iraqi president) Saddam Hussein."

"On my arrival here ( Sabah state), I see peace and security, there are no riots... but according to the CNN, the U.S. states that Sabah is a terrorist haven. As such, ( Washington ) advises its citizens not to come here," he was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.

"This is because they feel guilty as they have committed all sorts of actions like killing and oppressing others.

"As such, they are afraid of their own shadow, afraid to come here, afraid because they know there are many people in this world hating them."

The 77-year-old Southeast Asian leader gave an assurance to U.S. citizens that they were safe in the country, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"We have security forces adequate enough to maintain peace and security in the country," he boasted.

A spokesman at the U.S. embassy here told AFP that Wednesday's travel advisory, released two days after the deadly bombings in Riyadh, was an extension of a previous statement issued last November.

"Nothing has changed substantively from the previous statement," he said, adding that the United States was merely reiterating its concern.

The State Department had warned its citizens of possible terror attacks in Malaysia and Philippines , placing the local police on alert and forcing the South East Asian region to tighten security for this weekend,  IslamOnline.net learned in Kuala Lumpur Friday.

Washington said its intelligence indicate countries like Malaysia and Philippines might be next on the list of terror targets.

Calm

Malaysia said it was irked by the warnings, urging the U.S. to consult with Kuala Lumpur before making any claims of possible terror attacks since the Malaysian authorities had taken all necessary measures to prevent such attacks, officials said Friday.

Authorities here are skeptical that extremists might carry out a bombing operation in Malaysia , which has tightened its security since September 11th 2001 and has also installed the latest technologies and beefed up its intelligence right after Bali .

Kuala Lumpur was calm Friday while the people, with tourists mingling with the locals in shopping complexes and on the streets, going to their daily chores as usual.

Major shopping complexes in the country are promoting monthly sales and this has lured thousands of people to visit the complexes.

Security in Kuala Lumpur and other major cities in the country is said to be at its best with the sales season reaching its peak at the end of this month.

Additional precautions are bound to be taken by the police and other security agencies that are in place to battle terrorism.

The arrest of more than a hundred suspected extremists belonging to several ‘obscure’ groups in the region has given confidence to travelers and to the locals that the government has the situation under control.

The largely Muslim country, a favorite tourist destination for westerners and Arabs, believes it has so far taken all the necessary steps to avert any attacks on its soil.

MILF Won’t Attack Americans

A couple of tourists walk past the Malaysian tourism poster displayed along the busy tourist spots in Kuala Lumpur, Friday

The U.S. travel advisory prominently mentioned the Philippines as a possible target.

It says Americans are at risk from the Abu Sayyaf bandit group operating in the South in addition to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

However, MILF elements told Islamonline.net that the U.S. and the Philippines should be careful in tagging its fighters as terrorists.

“The war against terrorism is spilling over to new frontiers and the tagging of the MILF as terrorist group will not help anyone,” said a member of the group.

He added that the U.S. and Manila should distinguish between terrorists and freedom fighters in the Philippines , saying the Muslim group will not attack U.S. interests or citizens.

The U.S. State Department said it was concerned about Jemaah Islamiah (JI), another “extremist” group believed to be active in Indonesia , Malaysia , Singapore and the Philippines .

The JI was said to have been decapitated with the arrest of several key members and leaders in Singapore last year.

The Indonesian authorities also arrested Abu Bakar Basyir, a 64-year-old Muslim scholar suspected by the U.S and Singapore to be the leader of the JI.

Failure

These measures have not tampered those who are really behind the bombings and the trial of Basyir in Indonesia will not stop the bombings, as has been proven with the surge of violence there, an observer in Jakarta told IslamOnline.net.

“This is because the U.S. may have pressed the Indonesians and the Philippines to act too swiftly against suspected individuals who had nothing to do with terrorism,” said the observer who is also a member of a task force on terror in Jakarta .

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in a bid to beef up security ordered the Armed Forces to strengthen its intelligence work owing to the threat of more terrorist attacks in the country, Manila Times reported Friday.

She said punitive action is not enough and a stronger intelligence work and international cooperation is also needed to prevent further terrorist attack.

Arroyo also admitted that the country is expecting more terrorist attacks noting that militant cells have been driven to deeper desperation after the war in Iraq .

“We have seen that terrorism strikes anywhere at anytime from our remotest barangays in Mindanao to the capitals of the world. The world in a post-Iraq period has achieved greater strategic stability but it has driven militant cells to deeper desperation,” the President was quoted by Manila Times as saying.

On the other hand, Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Group deputy chief Romeo Ricardo said Thursday his unit is verifying reports that foreigners belonging to the JI have tied up with the MILF and are hatching plans to sow terror anew in the Philippines .

"There are reports, although we are still gathering enough evidence to prove (them)," Ricardo, who also leads the PNP anti-terrorist Task Force Sanglahi, told Philippine Star newspaper on Friday.