Police take down signage at the headquarters of Indonesian hardline organisation FPI in Jakarta on Dec 30, 2020 - AFP
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): Indonesia s anti-money laundering agency has temporarily frozen bank accounts belonging to the recently outlawed Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and its affiliated groups on suspicion of money laundering.
Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) public affairs unit head Natsir Kongah said on Tuesday (Jan 6) that the move was in line with a 2010 law on money laundering and a 2013 law on the prevention and eradication of terrorism funding. We have decided to suspend any transaction and activities coming from the accounts of the FPI and its affiliations to support an analysis and financial investigation into suspicious transactions, with indications of money laundering or connection to other crimes, Natsir said as quoted by tempo.co on Tuesday (Jan 5).
Security personnel dismantle Islam Defenders Front (FPI) paraphernalia as they close down the group s headquarters in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, on Dec. 30, 2020. - Antara
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): The intensifying crackdown by the authorities on the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) a once-fringe Islamist group that now poses a serious challenge to the administration of President Joko Jokowi Widodo has sparked concerns among prodemocracy activists.
The government continues to step up its pressures on the vigilante group, which has become increasingly political since the 2014 presidential election and the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election during which it spearheaded sectarian campaigns against President Jokowi and his ally, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who replaced him as Jakarta governor.