Terror groups receive foreign funding: BIN<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Semarang<\/p>\n
The amount of money obtained by local terror groups, including
\nAzahari's network, is substantial with a staggering US$75,000
\nchanneled to the terror groups in the country in the past few
\nyears, BIN has revealed. While one may think that the money would
\nhave been sent through modern means such as bank transfer, the
\ntop intelligence official here said on Thursday the money had
\nbeen transported through couriers.<\/p>\n
\"The money came from individuals in Middle Eastern and Asian
\ncountries. The US$75,000 figure was worked out as the result of
\nan investigation held this year,\" chief of State Intelligence
\nAgency (BIN) chief Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsir Siregar told reporters
\nafter a closed door meeting with legislators on Thursday here.<\/p>\n
Although Syamsir admitted that the flow of money had stopped.
\nthe account had raised the alarm that terror activities had
\nextended beyond the country's borders. With the huge amount of
\nmoney acquired from foreign funding, it does explain how the
\nterrorists groups had possessed enormous capability to perpetrate
\nsophisticated terrorist attacks. The Bali bombing in 2002 which
\nkilled over 200 people was an example of the level of
\nsophistication of the devices created by the well financed terror
\nnetworks.<\/p>\n
Syamsir explained the terror groups received funding based on
\nthe targets. The financiers would figure out how much money the
\nterror groups should receive per target, and it would be sent
\nthrough couriers. Each target was treated differently, said
\nSyamsir.<\/p>\n
After learning that foreign parties had donated money to
\nterror groups operating in the country, Syamsir said he hoped to
\ndeploy intelligence agents at a number of Indonesian embassies
\nabroad. Based on preliminary study, BIN is considering deploying
\nintelligence officers in the Philippines, Thailand and some
\ncountries in the Middle East. \"But, whether the plan is feasible,
\nwe will see how this goes with the foreign ministry,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The foreign terrorist funding came to light after the police
\nraided a house rented by master bombmaker Azahari in the sleepy
\ntown of Malang, East Java, which resulted in the death of
\nAzahari, Southeast Asia's most-wanted terrorist. Azahari's death
\nhas revealed more about terror funding with National Police chief
\nGen. Sutanto disclosing recently that funding came from parties
\nin the Middle East. However, the police general said the flow of
\nfunds from the Middle East had stopped last year.<\/p>\n
Azahari, along with his Malaysian compatriot Noordin M. Top,
\nare accused of masterminding a series of bomb attacks in the
\ncountry in the past few years.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, after a two-week long manhunt,
\nCentral Java Police have reportedly arrested Dwi Widyarto, who is
\ncharged with being a courier in the Azahari terror network.
\nCentral Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Chaerul Rasyid confirmed the
\narrest but refused to reveal when and where the suspect was
\napprehended.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, after a week-long investigation, Jakarta Police
\nannounced on Thursday that three people had been named suspects
\nfor harboring Azahari and Noordin. The three people were arrested
\non Nov. 17 in Pekalongan, Central Java province, said Jakarta
\nPolice spokesman I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana.<\/p>",
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