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Report Reveals Using Charity Funds in Terrorist Activities | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the army to take action before the Philippines is contaminated by the ISIS disease. MANMAN DEJETO, AFP, Getty Images


Nusa Dua, Indonesia-Charities that send financial aid to trouble spots sometimes have the funds “hijacked” by militant groups to carry out attacks, an international counter-terrorism meeting, which was launched in Indonesia warned on Wednesday.

A report by Indonesian and Australian authorities detailed the risk faced by non-profit organizations.

It also urged countries in the region to cooperate more closely to halt the flow of funds from militants, particularly from ISIS.

In this regard, Head of Australia’s financial intelligence agency Paul Jevtovic told the meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali: “These are often very legitimate organizations that are sending money to trouble spots around the world to help civilians who are suffering.”

“Unfortunately the intelligence tells us that some of these funds do not get to their intended destination and are in fact hijacked by terrorist groups and used for propaganda and/or actually committing terrorist acts.”

The “unscrupulous nature” of terror cells meant that they would intercept funds intended for people in need and for hospitals, he added, without naming specific groups.

In a common matter, President of Philippines Rodrigo Duterte ordered the country’s army to destroy the “Abu Sayyaf” militant group and warned the country risks being “contaminated” by Isis if they do not.

He said: “Destroy them, that’s an order. I see a looming problem, in three to seven years from now; we will have a problem with ISIS.”

Abu Sayyaf is a small but violent insurgent group which has been an enemy of the state for 25 years. It is well known for kidnappings and bombings as well as taking foreign hostages.

In June, the terrorist group beheaded two Canadians after kidnapping them from a Filipino resort and recently freed 18 Indonesians and Malaysian tugboat crew members after a ransom was paid.