In The Aftermath Of Blocking FPI Accounts, PPATK Finds Allegations Of Violating The Law

Money illustration. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Bank accounts belonging to the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) have been temporarily frozen or blocked by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). The blocking was also carried out on individuals affiliated with FPI.

Initially, the personal BCA account in the name of Irvan Gani which was used to raise funds for the 6 FPI laskar who were shot dead by the police was temporarily blocked.

The issue of blocking the account surfaced after Irvan Gani shared a tweet on the @ghanieierfan Twitter account regarding him being tricked by a fake Halo BCA WhatsApp number. In fact, in that account there was a donation fund of IDR 1.7 billion for the family of 6 FPI laskar.

However, after being traced, Irvan's personal account was indeed blocked prior to the fake Halo BCA incident. The blocking was carried out by PPATK, after FPI was declared a banned organization.

FPI as an organization is accused of often disturbing security and public order (kamtibmas). Apart from that, the basic objective of FPI according to the government is against the state constitution.

This decision is contained in the Joint Decree (SKB) of six high-ranking officials Number 220/4780 of 2020, Number M.HH / 14.HH 05.05 of 2020, Number 690 of 2020, Number 264 of 2020, Number KB / 3 / XII of 2020. , and Number 320 of 2020 concerning the Prohibition of Activities to Use Symbols and Attributes and the Termination of FPI Activities.

92 accounts have been blocked and checked

The total number of blocked FPI and affiliated accounts has reached 92. Head of PPATK Dian Ediana Rae admitted that she could not convey the amount of balances in the blocked FPI account.

"The transaction termination is carried out in order to provide sufficient time for PPATK to carry out analysis and examination of the account," he told VOI, via a written statement, Sunday, January 31.

Dian said that PPATK had also completed examinations of 92 accounts of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and related parties. The results of the analysis and examination of these accounts have been submitted to the police investigators.

Allegations against the Law

Dian Ediana Rae stated that from the results of coordination with the police, from the results of the examination, a number of FPI accounts would be blocked because they were suspected of having elements against the law.

"Based on the results of coordination with police investigators, it is known that there are several accounts that will be followed up by police investigators with a blocking process due to allegations of illegal acts," he said.

Furthermore, Dian said, PPATK can still perform financial intelligence functions on these accounts, if in the future it receives a Suspicious Financial Transaction Report (LTKM) or other sources of information.

But unfortunately, Dian was reluctant to mention the number of accounts to be blocked. Even so, he stated that his agency would continue to coordinate with the police regarding this work.

The work is in accordance with Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering (TPPU) and Law Number 9 of 2013 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Terrorism Financing Crimes.