Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have stepped up security in the Strait of Malacca after receiving warnings of terror attacks against oil tankers in the busy waterway, reports The Straits Times.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has pushed out extra ships to patrol the Strait, while the Police Coast Guard has also beefed up security in Singapore waters to prevent an attack on the island.

The Straits Times understands that police vessels have been tasked to look out for, and inspect, small boats that come close to large vessels that are berthed at anchorages here.

The beefed-up security is the result of a warning sent out by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to the three countries after it received a tip-off.

The Reuters news agency quoted a naval attache from Thailand, Captain Sutheepong Kaewtab, as saying that the tip-off came from Japan.

After the IMB warning, the RSN sent an advisory to the Singapore Shipping Association, which represents 380 firms, including BW Maritime, which operates more than 30 oil tankers, and container carriers like Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) and AP Moller-Maersk. The association then relayed the warning to its members.

In fact, the head of antiterror from the Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security, Ansyaad Mbai, says in an interview with Kompas.com:

“I estimate that there’s an even bigger potential target. For instance, accessing and terrorizing crucial areas like the Strait of Malacca, which is a critical sea route for international trade. As we know, since the US assaulted Iraq, a lot of terrorists aim for and attack oil installations. From that point on, the world has been worried that the Strait of Malacca will become a new terrorist target.

No wonder advanced countries such as the US and Japan have stated their willingness to be involved in securing the Strait of Malacca. However, the idea has been rejected by three littoral countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.”