Malaysia to punish terrorism donors

Malaysia to punish terrorism donors

Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian government pledged on Thursday to crack down on
anyone who channels money to militants in Indonesia, following a
report that a slain terrorist suspect received funds from
Malaysian sympathizers.

Azahari bin Husin, a Malaysian alleged to have been an
explosives expert for the al-Qaeda-linked Southeast Asian terror
group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), was shot by Indonesian police last
week as he reached to detonate a suicide belt.

A report in the Indonesia's Media Indonesia newspaper on
Tuesday claimed that Azahari and his alleged accomplice, Noordin
M. Top, also a Malaysian, received funds from sympathizers in
Malaysia after the two went to Indonesia in 2001.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak stressed that his
government opposes terrorism, but added that "we do not know if
there are individuals who are funding" JI operatives in
Indonesia.

"There are people who are supporting JI in Indonesia and there
are people who support JI here," Najib told reporters. "This is
up to the police to investigate. ... Once there is evidence,
action will be taken."

Azahari and Noordin, who remains on the run, are accused of
coordinating suicide bombings on Western targets in Indonesia
that have killed 244 people since 2002.

The Indonesian news report cited Wawan H. Purwanto, whom it
claimed was an Indonesian "intelligence observer," as saying that
a Malaysian named "Suf" had used banks to transfer funds to
Azahari and Noordin from Malaysian supporters.

Suf later used couriers to sent the funds, the report said,
citing Purwanto.

It did not give any background on Purwanto, or say how much
money was allegedly channeled to Azahari and Noordin.

Azahari's body was scheduled to be flown back to Malaysia for
burial later on Thursday after his family confirmed his identity
in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Malaysia's Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar said on
Wednesday that his government had no evidence that Azahari and
Noordin operated in Indonesia with money from Malaysia.

They are accused of direct involvement in the 2002 Bali
bombings that killed 202 people, most of them foreign tourists;
two bombings in Jakarta in 2003 and 2004 that took at least 22
lives; and the Oct. 1 suicide attacks in Bali that caused 20 more
deaths.