Papua New Guinea intelligence officers investigate terrorist funding allegations
|
Version 0 of 1. Papua New Guinea intelligence agencies are investigating a number of unnamed individuals and companies over alleged links with terrorist organisations in the Middle East. The prime minister, Peter O’Neill, confirmed the country’s national intelligence organisation is investigating the allegations, which relate to financing. There is no evidence to suggest a threat against PNG people. On Wednesday PNG’s Post Courier reported that a family with alleged ties to Middle East terrorist groups had invested millions of dollars in PNG businesses. The paper said the family were Australian residents, and had invested heavily in “logging, security services, and agriculture”, citing “top secret documents” and members of the “intelligence community”. O’Neill expressed concern over its allegations that three businesses with Australian-based operators had connections to terrorist groups. “The world has been sickened by the depraved actions of the terrorists of the Islamic State that has spread in Iraq and Syria,” he said. “The prospect that businesses in our country could be involved with financing of these deplorable groups is alarming.” O’Neill said the country was upgrading its security amid visits from heads of state and upcoming international events. “We will not tolerate people with links to terror organisations in our country,” O’Neill said. “If these allegations of terror links are true, these people will be charged under existing laws and their businesses shut down.” O’Neill said the government was working with other countries in response, but the Australian High Commission said it was unaware of any Australians in PNG with links to terrorism. Assistant police commissioner Donald Yomasombi told Guardian Australia the police force had requested information from the intelligence agencies to assist with criminal investigations but was yet to receive a response. |