[2016-11-30] Indonesian Investigator Claims Bitcoin is Funding ISIS Operations

[tyz]

Indonesian Investigator Claims Bitcoin is Funding ISIS Operations

For the umpteenth time, a government official claims there is a correlation between Bitcoin and terrorist group ISIS. Faisal Tayeb, Head of Investigation of Special Detachment 88, made that statement to the press last night. Officials are struggling to shut down funding options for terrorist activities, so they point the finger of blame at Bitcoin. So far, no credible evidence to back up these claims has been presented.

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/11/30/indonesian-investigator-claims-bitcoin-funding-isis-operations/

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[Chin Cheng]

Indonesian Investigator Claims Bitcoin is Funding ISIS Operations

For the umpteenth time, a government official claims there is a correlation between Bitcoin and terrorist group ISIS. Faisal Tayeb, Head of Investigation of Special Detachment 88, made that statement to the press last night. Officials are struggling to shut down funding options for terrorist activities, so they point the finger of blame at Bitcoin. So far, no credible evidence to back up these claims has been presented.

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/11/30/indonesian-investigator-claims-bitcoin-funding-isis-operations/

these are blind claims by the government ,if they are not capable to counter something they will very well put the blame to the most easily accessible target and in this case bitcoin in being accused without any solid evidence and expect these accusations in the future too

[1Referee]

Bitcoin is always easy to be blamed if something you do is being messed up while it is your own fault. It's like saying Bitcoin is being used to buy drugs and weapons with, while you know the same has been happening with fiat and Gold as well. Do we ever hear that sort of trash talk about fiat and Gold? No. It's just another attempt to throw even more dirt on Bitcoin's image, to make it look like a currency that is only being used by criminals and terrorists. I don't say that Bitcoin isn't being used as a tool by people to donate to certain terrorist groups, but the same is happening with fiat, Gold, oil, weapons, etc. Bitcoin is money, so why are these idiotic people not realizing that? Everything with value can be used to fund terrorism.

[Carlton Banks]

what's the action plan, then? I'm leaning towards "make everyone forget that decentralised cryptocurrency is possible".

What's that you're saying? What happens when someone else discovers it again? Well, we just make everyone forget again! That's the end of that problem!

[tiggytomb]

This sort of thing is just annoying.  Terrorists also use actual fiat cash to fund themselves but that doesn't seem to be a focus, they also have governments that fund them with weapons or is that just a conspiracy theory:)

It's just another way of targeting bitcoin with negativity which is one of the main reasons mass adoption is being held back, a few people I have spoken with have heard of bitcoin but in a negative manner, drugs, terror etc.

[Gotottack]

They are just destroying the image of bitcoin. What funds terrorist is not currency nor cryptocurrency. It is value! If the Bitcoin is worthless then there is no chance it can fund anything. Terrorist are funded by people with interest in having war and fear in the masses. Be it funded by Bitcoin or anything else it doesn't matter. The end goal is the same and bitcoin cannot be blamed.

[tyz]

They are just destroying the image of bitcoin. What funds terrorist is not currency nor cryptocurrency. It is value! If the Bitcoin is worthless then there is no chance it can fund anything. Terrorist are funded by people with interest in having war and fear in the masses. Be it funded by Bitcoin or anything else it doesn't matter. The end goal is the same and bitcoin cannot be blamed.

My opinion is that such an allegation results also from an increased interest of people outside of terrorist activities. The officials try to discredit Bitcoin to distract from their own mistakes. Such an approach will not be successful in the long run. Even with a ban on Bitcoin in Indonesia, people will sooner or later recognize the benefits. Especially when the economy and monetary policy turn to bad.

[aso118]

The title of the article itself is misleading. Instead of "ISIS raises funds through bitcoins", the author says "Bitcoin is funding ISIS".
In any case, the Indonesian investigators should target the fund raising network of ISIS and jail the guilty, instead of making random statements on Bitcoin.

[just_Alice]

Indonesian Investigator Claims Bitcoin is Funding ISIS Operations

For the umpteenth time, a government official claims there is a correlation between Bitcoin and terrorist group ISIS. Faisal Tayeb, Head of Investigation of Special Detachment 88, made that statement to the press last night. Officials are struggling to shut down funding options for terrorist activities, so they point the finger of blame at Bitcoin. So far, no credible evidence to back up these claims has been presented.

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/11/30/indonesian-investigator-claims-bitcoin-funding-isis-operations/

Saying that Bitcoin is funding terrorists and criminals is the most stupid claim which was proved to be absolute rubbish. I'm very sorry for the Indonesian people that they have such "investigators" in their country. We all have them, I know, the question is how powerful they are, because this investigator in question is the "Head of Investigation" so he is powerful and that's bad.

I think the comment after the article covers it perfectly:

"I'm actually a researcher on counter-terrorism (and an avid bitcoin fan) and I've discussed this with a guy who's actually been into ISIS territory to research their funding and economy and he's never come across any of this before. At the end of the day the US dollar remains the store of value most used by criminals and terrorists. People love to talk about how Bitcoin is so unregulated and dangerous, but please do remind me how well banks and governments did to prevent the billions of dollars laundered as found in the panama papers" - berto • 2 days ago

[hv_]

Wow. They got a trace!

So bitcoin finally enabled them to get any trace, what paper money, gold or diamonds cannot give on same level.

Those idiots should rather use this unique feature of bitcoin!

[yayayo]

Even if Bitcoin were widely used by ISIS - which it clearly isn't - this couldn't be a valid argument for combating Bitcoin. Terrorists eat bread as well - so let's ban bread to fight terrorism!

Bitcoin is not the reason for terrorism. It's just a currency that can be used by everyone for good and for bad things. Overall its societal impact is clearly positive. But it's less positive for the authoritarian people in charge, because it redistributes power to the people. That explains why representatives of the officialdom have generally a negative attitude towards the currency and perceive it as a source of evil.

Luckily, despite the efforts of Andresen, Hearn and Ver, Bitcoin is still a decentralized currency. It can't be easily destroyed by dumb people.

ya.ya.yo!

[Dahhi]

I think it's just a governmental ploy because the government could have easily traced WHO sold weapons to ISIS in the first place instead of blaming bitcoins for being used as a means of transaction.

[coolcoinz]

The topic is misleading. Bitcoin is not funding anything. Bitcoin is just a form of payment it cannot fund or finance anything. What if a terrorist group decided to wire some money through PayPal? Would that mean PayPal  is funding terrorism?
Now, the more interesting part is that Dollar is used to buy weapons every day and is still the main currency used in weapon and drug transactions. 

[iamTom123]

Since Bitcoin is still new there can be a little misunderstanding here. When terrorists can be using US Dollar for their operation, it does not mean that the Dollar is the one funding whatever they are doing. In this case, they can be using Bitcoin and that can be possible since anybody can use Bitcoin whether you can be a terrorist or anti-terrorist for that matter. What the government should be looking can be the source of the Bitcoin...but that can be a problem here since we have some anonymity attached to the crytocurrency.

[Dahhi]

... What the government should be looking can be the source of the Bitcoin...but that can be a problem here since we have some anonymity attached to the crytocurrency.

Bitcoin is not so anonymous, it can be traced unless you use a bitcoin mixing service which cleans up all footprints and covers you up.

[veleten]

and how exactly do they plan to enforce it?
even if ISIS is funded by bitcoin,among other means,ISIS is funded with USD-ban USD then?
what can they do about it? It takes combined effort of Syria and Russia (while the US and co are immitating that they fight ISIS) to hit them hard
and yet ISIS is still there
I see it more as an attempt to tarnish bitcoin's reputation

[Veritas Platform]

WTF  No proofs, no tracking of any kind, and these so-called investigators will do everything to make such headlines against Bitcoin.

[RodeoX]

He must have just watched an episode of Mr. Robot. 

I'm sure DAESH is using BTC in some circumstances, but they really use gold mostly. So where is the call to end gold use? Who will protect the children, etc, etc...

[affordableweb]

once again they never provide any real evidence. its like saying people use cash to buy drugs.

[BellaBitBit]

Another one of these articles  , associating Bitcoin with funding terror.  No real evidence here and terrorism has been primarily funded with cash - I guess it is time to ban cash. This investigator needs more facts to back up claims.