BNPT: Terrorist Network Charity Box In Lampung For Cadreization

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) said hundreds of charity boxes suspected of belonging to the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorist network in Lampung, one of which was used for regeneration costs.

"In cadre, funds are used by JI to send selected members to conflict countries such as Syria and Iraq to carry out military exercises," said BNPT Deputy II Brigadier General Pol Ibnu Suhendra as quoted by Antara, Monday, November 8.

He said the fundraising through charity boxes carried out by terrorist networks in Lampung was aimed at the global jihad agenda.

BNPT gathered information that stated that JI often gave scholarships to 10 selected people in its fostered pesantren.

Last week, the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-terror Police confiscated more than 700 charity boxes from the Abdurrahman Bin Auf Amil Zakat Institute (LAZ ABA) in Lampung.

Hundreds of charity boxes confiscated by Densus 88 consisted of 76 glass-legged charity boxes, 706 glass charity boxes, 29 wooden charity boxes, and a bundle of deed of association.

Ibnu explained that LAZ ABA is an institution that has programs for da'wah, education, health, social assistance, solidarity in the Islamic world, economic empowerment of the people, and disaster response.

The programs, he said, were financed by voluntary fundraising activities.

However, according to him, the program and the collection of charities are believed to be an organization's camouflage to help finance the interests of terrorist networks.

"(Fundraising, ed) has become a mode (and has been deflected) for fundraising for the JI group," he said.

Therefore, BNPT in collaboration with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and the National Police Anti-terror Detachment 88 tracked and examined the flow of funds from the charity box.

"The search is to find out in detail how much value is obtained from collecting funds from terrorist groups. BNPT also cooperates with relevant ministries and institutions to closely monitor fund raising carried out by terror groups,” he explained.

Ibnu said that his party would increase socialization and education to the public about the dangers of financing terrorist activities.

BNPT will also invite local governments to work together to carry out regular inspections and control of donation boxes.

According to Ibnu, many members of the terror network are hiding and secretly carrying out their activities in Lampung.

"About 70 percent of the population in Lampung are immigrants from the island of Java who live in relatively isolated areas, so they are often used as hiding places," he said.