Accounts link terrorists

Accounts link terrorists

JAKARTA: Bank Indonesia (BI) announced on Wednesday that it
has ordered all banks throughout the country to freeze accounts
owned by individuals or groups allegedly having links with
international terrorists.

The order was made following an official request from the
Attorney General's Office (AGO) to freeze 28 bank accounts
suspected of having links with terrorist groups, Erwin Riyanto of
BI, the central bank, said in a statement made available to The
Jakarta Post.

"The AGO and Bank Indonesia are waiting for reports from the
banks about the findings from the 28 accounts," Erwin said.

The order to freeze the accounts is consistent with UN
Resolution No 1333 dated Dec. 19, 2000 and No. 1373 dated Sept.
28, 2001 in the war against international terrorism.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also issued a similar
order to both the BI and the Ministry of Finance on Sept. 26,
2001, he said.

Indonesian Law No. 10/1998 on banking, however, prohibits a
governor or any director of BI to freeze any account without
official orders from the state prosecutors. -- JP