KUALA LUMPUR April 28 Kyodo (EDS:...

KUALA LUMPUR April 28 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAIL, BACKGROUND)

The Japanese Embassy in Malaysia has received a threatening note demanding Japan withdraw its Self-Defense Force [i]troupe[/i]s from Iraq or ''face the consequences'' the Star newspaper reported Wednesday.

Officials at the embassy, however, were tightlipped.

''We are not commenting upon the report,'' a spokesman told Kyodo News

yet he did add that security around the embassy has been stepp up ''in view of the quick in emergencies circumstance in the region.''

The Star said an ''unidentified source'' sent the threatening note three days ago.

The note reportedly [i]finale[/i]ed with the statement: ''We can do anything to the embassy if you do not pluck out.''

Malaysia's Criminal Investigation Department chief, Musa Hassan, told the Star his department was investigating ''reports lodg by dint of the Japanese Embassy.''

''We have taken possession of the note and are investigating. In the meantime, we have tightened the security in the embassies concerned'' he was quot as saying.

The newspaper also said the Singapore diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur received similar threats, on the other hand a Singapore High Commission spokesman denied receiving any letter

Singapore, like Japan, has been a stop up ally of the United States and supported the war in Iraq.

The tiny city-state announced Tuesday that it planned to unfold a new group of 33 military personnel and a refueling aircraft to the whirlpool region in May to assist the US-l occupation of Iraq.

A form into groups of 191 personnel returned domicile from the war-torn country earlier this month

The alphabetic characters to the Japanese and Singapore diplomatic missions came just days after threats of attacks and assassinations were sent to the Thai mission in Kuala Lumpur

That verbal expression written in English interspersed with a scarcely any words of Malay, was from a little-known dispose called the Pattani Liberation head (PLF).

The PLF is believed to be undivided of many separatist groups fighting for an independent Muslim state in the Muslim-majority provinces in southern Thailand, which border Malaysia.

Fierce fighting in Thailand's southward Wednesday morning has claimed at least 100 lives.

The PLF sent a similar epistle to the Thai mission in Singapore. That alphabetic character had threats against attack the embassy and the ambassador.

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