Lots of buzz about this:

MANILA, Philippines — Two of the most dangerous al-Qaida-linked groups in Southeast Asia are working together to train terrorists in scuba diving for seaborne attacks, according to a recently captured guerrilla.

The ominous development is outlined in a Philippine military report obtained Thursday that also notes increasing collaboration among the Muslim militants in other areas, including financing and explosives, as extremists plot new ways to strike.

In the last year, the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah has given Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines at least $18,500 for explosives training alone, the report said.

The report comes a month after the U.S. Coast Guard announced it is seeking to better protect the nation’s ports from terrorist attacks by scuba divers by developing a sonar system that can distinguish human swimmers from dolphins.

Concerns about terrorist strikes by scuba divers were raised three years ago after the FBI announced it was investigating whether al-Qaida operatives took scuba training to help blow up ships at anchor, power plants, bridges, depots or other waterfront targets.

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Related:

- Photos of the Filipino terror suspects who revealed the scuba plot here.

- The Dutch have been investigating a possible al Qaeda recruitment cell connected with a dive shop outside Amsterdam.

- DHS issued a warning bulletin in August 2003 on possible underwater attacks. (Hat tip: EagleSpeak.) From Newsmax:

The “Swimmer Attack Indicators and Protective Measures” bulletin was issued on August 22, 2003. The bulletin advised “the maritime industry and owners and operators of maritime facilities of a number of incidents of suspicious activity and possible surveillance of maritime facilities around the U.S. over the past few months.”

The bulletin, issued to ship owners, port managers and maritime police organizations, reads like a chapter out of Ian Fleming’s “Thunderball” where a terrorist group uses sophisticated underwater technology to attack the United States.

“Although there is no evidence of international terrorist groups planning to utilize scuba divers to carry out attacks within the United States, there is a body of information showing the desire to obtain such capability,” states the bulletin.

“During the past two years there have been numerous incidents that have occurred involving suspicious individuals possibly conducting surveillance of port facilities, cruise ship docks, naval bases, dams, bridges and power facilities in the United States. Also, there has been law enforcement reporting of suspicious individuals having queried marine shops and schools concerning equipment and training.”

According to the agency, “there is no specific information indicating that a swimmer attack of any kind is currently being planned in the United States, such targeting would be consistent with Al-Qaeda’s stated objective to disrupt and undermine vital economic interests in this country and to cause mass casualties and panic.”

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