Indonesia: Bank robbery to fund jihad was halal, suspect says (creeping sharia)

Posted on April 6, 2011 by creeping

Religion of peace, jihad, and halal bank robberies. via Bank CIMB Niaga robbery was halal, suspect says | The Jakarta Post.

One of the suspects of an armed robbery of a Bank CIMB Niaga branch in Medan in which a police officer was killed said on Monday that the act was halal, or clean according to Islam.

Pamriyanto, also known as Suryo Saputro, said he had acted with several others to carry out the armed robbery in August last year because it was halal.

“I was on the wanted list so there was no way I could look for a job. I think [the robbery] was halal because I needed it,” he said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Pamriyanto was testifying as a witness in the trial of Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, the leader of the Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid Islamic group, who is charged with raising money to run a militant terrorist training camp in Aceh.

Pamriyanto said he had been given a Rp 10 million (US$1,150) cut for his role in the robbery, but said he did not know the total amount that the group had stolen from the bank.

He also said that he had trained at the militant camp in Aceh, adding that this was part of his jihad.

Another witness stated the bank robbery was to fund jihad, Bashir Witness Claims CIMB Niaga Heist Was to Fund Jihad:

A deadly heist at a CIMB Niaga bank branch in Medan last year was carried out to fund jihad, a suspected militant told the court on Monday at the trial of controversial cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.

“The money was intended for Jihad Fisabilillah,” or struggling in the name of Allah, said Beben Khairul Banin, who is being tried separately for the Aug. 18 robbery that left one police officer dead.

“We will fight against anything considered an affront to Islam,” he told the South Jakarta District Court.

Banks are among the targets “because they seek interest, which is against Islamic law,” he said.