Southeast Asia Islamists hail bin Laden a martyr

Soldiers stand guard in front of the Grand Indonesia Shopping Mall in Jakarta May 3, 2011.

JAKARTA/MANILA (Reuters) - Indonesian Islamists hailed Osama bin Laden as a martyr on Wednesday, illustrating sympathy for the al Qaeda leader killed by U.S. forces among Southeast Asian militant groups, one of which predicted a major reprisal attack.

Indonesia and the Philippines, both home to terror groups with links to al Qaeda, have heightened security after the killing of bin Laden on Monday, with Jakarta increasing police presence ahead of an annual meeting of regional leaders at the weekend.

"If it is true that was him, it was bin Laden who won, he has had that victory he dreamt of, that is to be shot dead as a martyr by his enemy," said Son Hadi, spokesman for Jema'ah Ansharut Tauhid, an above-ground Islamist group founded by firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.

"The impact of his demise is that Osama will be appreciated with prayers, support and some hateful comments against the U.S.," he said. "I am certain that the U.S. will experience a major disaster."

Links between al Qaeda and local terror groups such as Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf have weakened in recent years following military crackdowns, and analysts say a quick reprisal attack is unlikely.

"I think the major impact would be in Indonesia," said Sidney Jones, of International Crisis Group in Jakarta. "I think if groups are bent on trying to mount a revenge attack, it will take some time to put even a simple plot together."

Al Qaeda is believed to have backrolled some of Jemaah Islamiah's attacks, such as the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200. Recent militancy in Indonesia, such as a spate of parcel bombs in the capital, appears more aimed at domestic targets such as police or those promoting pluralism.

Indonesia's Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) plans to show gratitude for the "services" of "martyr" bin Laden at its headquarters in Jakarta later on Wednesday.

The group of skullcapped and bamboo cane-wielding vigilantes, known for "moral policing" by smashing up bars in Jakarta, seems to operate with impunity from officials, worried of appearing un-Islamic in the world's most populous Muslim country.

Risk consultancy Control Risks said gatherings by sympathetic Islamist groups could risk descending into violence without warning.

Muslim leaders said controversies over the U.S. operation, from the killing of the unarmed bin Laden to his burial at sea, may cause wide resentment.

Others said the risk was present but unchanged in a region attracting growing investment interest from foreign firms in its strong economic growth and surging capital markets.

"Although bin Laden continues to inspire violence as he did in life, his death is unlikely to affect the overall terrorist threat in Indonesia," said Jakarta-based consultants Concord.

"Currently ties between the groups are only symbolic as most Indonesian terrorist groups plot their own course, relying mainly on the al Qaeda name to make themselves appear more global in reach."

In Manila, there were checkpoints around main streets, and police cars -- one with a machine gun -- were parked outside the U.S. embassy. Guards frisked people and opened bags at malls.

"While there is no report of an immediate threat to metropolitan Manila, the government has nonetheless deemed it prudent up upgrade security," said national security adviser Cesar Garcia.

(Writing by Neil Chatterjee; Editing by Nick Macfie)