US Declares 2 Southeast Asian IS Operatives Global Terrorists

The United States on Thursday declared Indonesian Bahrun Naim and Malaysian Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, suspected Islamic State fighters based in Iraq and Syria who are wanted for IS-linked attacks, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

The two men provide financial and operational support for IS recruitment and for attack plots in Indonesia, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the U.S. Treasury Department stated. The designation targets IS recruitment and financial support of terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia and sustains the department’s efforts against IS operations across the globe, treasury officials said.

In announcing the designation, the department said “all property and interests in property of these individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked.”

It also declared that American citizens are generally prohibited from conducting financial transactions with the two men.

“Designating Muhammad Bahrun Naim Anggih Tamtomo and Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi sends a powerful signal to individuals that provide support to ISIS and demonstrates the U.S. government’s resolve to combat terrorism and terrorism financing in the region,” John E. Smith, the treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control director, said in a statement in which he used another acronym for IS.