Three Indonesian maids charged with financing terror activities

Three Indonesian maids were charged in court yesterday with financing terrorism, after being detained under the Internal Security Act last month.

They are Anindia Afiyantari, 33, Retno Hernayani, 36, and Turmini, 31.

All three were investigated by the Internal Security Department and issued with detention orders for supporting two terrorist groups – the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and its Indonesia-based affiliate, Jemaah Anshorut Daulah.

Parallel investigations by the Singapore Police Force’s Commercial Affairs Department found that all three had allegedly collected or provided money to individuals in Indonesia on several occasions between September last year and July this year.

“They had reasonable grounds to believe that these funds would be used to facilitate terrorist acts overseas,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement yesterday.

Retno had allegedly collected a total of $100 on two occasions between March and April this year, and provided a total of $140 on another two occasions during the same period.

Anindia allegedly provided a total of $130 on five occasions between February and July this year.

And Turmini allegedly provided a total of 13 million rupiah (S$1,265) on five occasions between September last year and May this year.

The three had been working in Singapore for between six and 13 years at the point of their arrests.

Collecting and providing money in support of terrorist purposes is an offence under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act.

If convicted, all three will have their detention orders cancelled, and they will then serve jail terms imposed by the court.

“Terrorism and its financing represent a grave threat to domestic and international security, and global action is required to deprive terrorist groups of funding and materials,” MHA said in the statement.

“Singapore is part of this global effort and is strongly committed to combating terrorism financing, regardless of whether the monies are used to facilitate terrorist acts locally or abroad,” it added.

The ministry reminded members of the public not to remit any amount of money to terrorist organisations or to facilitate and carry out any terrorist act, as well as not provide any services, supplies or materials for such purposes.

Anyone found guilty of providing property and services for terrorist purposes could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $500,000, or both.

People with information on such activities should immediately alert the authorities, said MHA.

Source: Straits Times