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The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 were a pivotal event. It appeared to validate the predictions of the ‘new’ terrorism analysts led by Bruce Hoffman and others, that a new, much more deadly form of global, apoca lyptic religious terrorism has appeared since the 1990s, and that this form of terrorism is characterised by acts intended to cause massive casualties running into thousands or tens of thousands.1 This ‘new’ terrorism has not escaped Southeast Asia. Within this region, the Malay archipelago has the world’s largest Muslim population. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country. In the context of the struggle between radical Islam, and the West and its allies, the region assumes great, long-term strategic significance, particularly to the USA. The threat of terrorism to Australia, as demonstrated by the terrorist attacks at Bali in 2002 aimed at its citizens, has also ensured Australia’s active interest and engagement with the littoral states of the Malay archipelago.