Jakarta (ANTARA) - Residents must be cautious in donating money to avoid funding terrorist groups, head of the operational assistance division of the Police's Special Detachment (Densus) 88, Senior Commissioner Aswin Siregar, has said.
"We hope residents can be more cautious and avoid donating their money to unidentified organizations or groups," he added here on Wednesday.
Siregar then highlighted the case of IA, a suspected ISIS sympathizer who was arrested in Malang, East Java, on Monday (May 23, 2022), who is alleged to have employed a fundraising tactic used earlier by Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) to fund terror activities.
JI's fundraising tactic, which involved deceiving residents into believing they were donating money for legitimate activities, was foiled by Densus 88, the Religious Affairs Ministry, and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) last year, the division head informed.
He said that there is a possibility that other terror groups, such as ISIS and Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), have utilized the same fundraising method.
"The Densus 88 is currently investigating the suspect. JI's fundraising tactic might also have been emulated by other terrorist groups," he added.
Investigators are currently investigating the extent of IA's involvement in the terror group, the division head said, adding that the investigation has found that besides being involved in fundraising activities, IA was also helping spread ISIS propaganda on social media.
The investigation also revealed that IA had communicated with a JAD member, identified as MR, who was arrested earlier, he said.
"IA is related to one JAD member who is currently incarcerated," Siregar stated.
In their communications, IA and MR had deliberated plans of a physical and armed attack against public facilities and police offices, which they said were controlled by demons and enemies of Islam, he added.
