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IN PHOTO: Spanish civil guards lead a detained man suspected of using social media to recruit people to violent groups like the Islamic State, in Spain's North African enclave Melilla, February 24, 2015. Spanish police on Tuesday arrested four people suspected of using social media to brainwash and recruit people to violent groups like the Islamic State, the interior ministry said. Two of those were arrested in the Spanish North African enclave Melilla and ran web pages promoting the cause of various groups, especially Islamic State, translating material into Spanish, ministry said in a statement. "Both those arrested, who shared the strategy of the terrorist group DAESH (the Islamic State), recruited women who, after a process of indoctrination, ended up joining the terrorist group," it said. REUTERS/Jesus Blasco de Avellaneda REUTERS/Jesus Blasco de Avellaneda

Australia’s been alleged to have been sending funds to individuals or groups in Indonesia to support activities of terrorists in that country.

A report by The Jakarta Post newspaper implied certain individuals or groups in Australia were sending money to be used by ISIS Daesh in Indonesia. The allegations were discovered by Financial Transactions and Analysis Centre (PPATK), a money-laundering watchdog in that country.

Agus Santoso, PPATK deputy chairman, during a counter-terror conference in Jakarta on Monday, refused to reveal the exact amount they have discovered that has been allegedly exchanged between Australia and Indonesia. “I can confirm for sure that the amount does not reach the millions of dollars,” Santoso said, adding the information has been turned to the Densus 88 “for further investigation.” Densus 88 is the counterterrorism unit of Indonesia’s National Police.

“We strongly suspect that the money is for terrorism, that is what we found.” Santoso said they saw that the money trail coming from Australia only began ­recently. He stressed it involved several “subjects.” In a report, the Koran Tempo local newspaper said the PPATK had identified some AU$686,000 flowing within Indonesia to groups supporting Islamic State.

PPATK officials are expected in Australia as part of continuing investigations. They are expected to work closely with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, or AUSTRAC.

Jakarta Post said Linda Kemp, Australian Embassy spokesman, did not confirm nor deny the alleged ISIS Daesh-related funds. “The Australian government values the long-standing cooperation between AUSTRAC and the PPATK,” she said. Austrac has been working with PPATK since 2002.

Authorities from Indonesia estimate over 600 Indonesians have joined the ISIS Daesh in Syria or Iraq. In the same conference on Monday, Rohan Gunaratna, a Singapore-based terrorism expert, revealed there are at least 19 Islamic State support groups in Indonesia, three in the Philippines and five in Malaysia.

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