KUALA LUMPUR The Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), named by Australia as a suspect in the bombing massacre in Bali, is an al-Qaeda linked group whose alleged leader lives openly in Indonesia despite intense international pressure for his arrest.

Warnings that JI was planning major terrorist attacks have come thick and fast recently, from countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

All three have pointed to Indonesian Islamic cleric Abubakar Ba'asyir as a leader of the organisation, but the Indonesian government has said it had no evidence against him, and he has sued Time magazine for making a similar accusation.

Less than a week ago, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said during a regional meeting in Malaysia: "The organisation that we are most concerned about is a group called Jemaah Islamiyah. We think Ba'asyir is a significant figure in JI."

On Sunday, after the blast at Indonesia's Bali tourist resort killed at least 150 people, many of them believed to be Australians, Downer said: "Jemaah Islamiyah does have links to al-Qaeda and it's conceivable that an organisation like that could be behind this action."

Australia is one of Washington's staunchest supporters in the war launched against al-Qaeda following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Self-confessed admirer

Ba'asyir, 64, is a self-confessed admirer of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, but says Jemaah Islamiyah does not exist and he has no links to terrorism.

Malaysia, a neighbouring Muslim state, says differently.

Two weeks ago, police chief Norian Mai, announcing the arrest of what he called a "prime" terror suspect, said he was a member of the Malaysian Militant Group (KMM) which was linked to JI.

"We believe they receive instructions from the same figures as quoted by Singapore, that is Hambali and Abubakar Ba'asyir. These two are the leaders of the movement," Norian said.

The whereabouts of Hambali, an Indonesian Islamic fundamentalist also known as Riduan Isamuddin, are unknown. He is described as being in charge of the JI in Malaysia and Singapore, and is suspected of having direct links to al-Qaeda.

Singapore has accused JI of plotting attacks on several western targets in the island nation, including the Australian embassy, and has arrested 32 alleged JI militants.

It says JI aims to create a theocratic Islamic state covering Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Brunei.

The grey-bearded Ba'asyir is chairman of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council, an umbrella organization advocating Islamic law in the sprawling archipelago.

He speaks regularly to the media and announced two weeks ago he was suing Time magazine for defamation after it reported that he was behind terrorist activities.

Repeated warnings

The magazine said it based its article on a CIA report that recounted statements by former Indonesian resident, Kuwaiti Omar al-Faruq, who had allegedly admitted under interrogation in US custody to being al-Qaeda's top representative in Southeast Asia.

"It's all lies," Ba'asyir said.

The United States issued repeated warnings in recent months over fears Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, may be home to al-Qaeda sympathisers.

After months of official denials, senior Indonesian military officials late last month said they believed al-Qaeda may have a limited network in the country.

Last week, the US ambassador to Indonesia reportedly warned that he could withdraw some embassy staff unless authorities improve security after a September 23 grenade explosion near an embassy residence.

And Australia sent security alerts to all its foreign missions last Friday reminding them to keep high vigilance for possible attacks by al-Qaeda and linked groups. — AFP