FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Statement of the Case

Jemaah Islamiyah (“JI”) is an al-Qaida linked terrorist group with cells operating in several countries in Southeast Asia. The JI’s stated goal is to create an Islamic state comprising Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the southern Philippines. Members of JI have been trained, funded and directed by the al-Qaida leadership to pursue al-Qaida’s terrorist agenda across the region. In December 2001, Singapore authorities arrested 13 JI members, eight of whom had trained in al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan, who planned to bomb the U.S. and Israeli Embassies, British and Australian diplomatic buildings, and U.S. and Singapore defense targets in Singapore. Members of the group had conducted videotaped surveillance of the potential targets, and had already acquired explosives in preparation for the attacks. Singapore police discovered tampered passports, forged immigration stamps, bombmaking manuals, and al-Qaida-related material in several suspects’ homes. In addition, a copy of a videotape made by certain members of the group and showing intended targets in Singapore was found in the wreckage of an al-Qaida leader’s house in Afghanistan in December 2001. 

JI was designated as subject to U.S. economic sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13224 on October 23, 2002.  Today, two leaders of JI are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224. 

1. Isamuddin, Nurjaman Riduan

AKAs: Hambali; Isomuddin, Riduan; Nurjaman; Encep Nurjaman
Nationality: Indonesian
POB: Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia.

Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin, most commonly known as Hambali, is a senior JI leader with close ties to al-Qaida and a long track record of involvement in terrorist activities, including the targeting of U.S. interests.  Based on information available to the U.S. Government, there is reason to believe that Hambali was involved in a 1995 plot to bomb 11 U.S. commercial airliners in Asia, and directed the late-2001 foiled plot to attack U.S. and Western interests in Singapore. Hambali is the head of JI’s regional “shura,” the policy making body of the organization. He is also considered JI’s director of operations, oversees JI’s financing, and serves as the primary interface with al-Qaida. He is suspected of being al-Qaida’s operations director for the East Asia region. 

Hambali arranged for a courier to take a surveillance videotape to al-Qaida in Afghanistan proposing a bomb attack on Americans in Singapore, and made arrangements for JI members to train in al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan. In addition, he was videotaped in a January 2000 meeting in Malaysia with two of the September 11, 2001 hijackers of AA Flight 77 - Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi.

Hambali was also involved in planning a series of bombings in Manila, the Philippines that killed 22 people, and injured more than 100 on December 30, 2000. One JI member admitted to Philippine investigators that Hambali was also involved in the bombing of the residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia on August 1, 2000. The bombing killed two people and seriously injured the Ambassador. In addition, Hambali was involved in a series of coordinated bombings of churches in Jakarta and eight other cities on December 24, 2000 that killed 18 people and injured many others. Indonesian police say they found documents implicating Hambali in that bombing. Hambali is being sought by authorities in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, and is believed to be located in Indonesia, Pakistan, or the southern Philippines.

2. Abdurrahman, Mohamad Iqbal

AKAs: Abu Jibril; Rahman, Mohamad Iqbal; A Rahman, Mohamad Iqbal; Abu Jibril Abdurrahman; Fikiruddin Muqti; Fihiruddin Muqti
Nationality: Indonesian
POB: Tirpas-Selong Village, East Lombok, Indonesia.

Mohamad Iqbal Abdurrahman, more commonly known as Abu Jibril, is a close associate of Hambali.  Abu Jibril was JI’s primary recruiter and second in command – running JI operations and heading its regional “shura” – before his arrest by Malaysian authorities in June 2001.  The International Crisis Group cites Southeast Asian intelligence sources identifying Abu Jibril as a financial conduit for al-Qaida in the region.

There are now 257 individuals, organizations and entities on the list.  $124.5 assets have been frozen worldwide since September 11, 2001, $36.2m in the U.S.