South-East Asia on alert

Malaysia and Thailand both said they were increasing patrols at popular tourist spots and in the areas surrounding foreign embassies.

Governments around the reason are also reported to be co-ordinating anti-terrorism efforts.

But Malaysia's Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad - a prominent supporter of the US-led war on terror - has warned the West it needs to address the causes of terrorism.

Dr Mahathir told a gathering of government supporters in Kuala Lumpur that the Bali blast was not a surprise.

'Roots not tackled'

"I believe the level of hatred, the level of bitterness, frustration is greater than immediately after September 11.

"That is because no attempt is being made to trace the causes of the anger which makes people willing to blow themselves up in order to carry out acts of terrorism," he said.

Malaysia's Chief of Police, Norian Mai, has said Malaysian authorities were sharing intelligence with their counterparts in Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore on measures to bolster security.

Malaysia has arrested more than 60 suspected Islamic militants from Jemaah Islamiah, the group which has been accused of having links with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda.

Philippines probe

The Philippines, whose consulate in the central Indonesian city of Manado was the victim of one of several explosions in Indonesia around the time of the deadly blast in Bali, said on Tuesday it was sending a team to Indonesia to assess security there.

A senior police official in Manila told Reuters news agency that the Philippines is presently searching for four people linked to JI who are thought to be planning new attacks there.

Philippines' President Gloria Arroyo has placed police on nationwide alert following the Bali bombing.

Meanwhile in Singapore, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong reassured community leaders on Tuesday that while JI remains a threat in the region, the arrest of more than 18 alleged members in Singapore in August had "severely disrupted" the group's operations in the city state.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said that leaders from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) would meet later this month to discuss anti-terrorism measures.