Mujahidin Indonesian Timur (MIT)

QDe.150
Mujahidin Indonesian Timur (MIT)
Date on which the narrative summary became available on the Committee's website: 
29 September 2015
Date(s) on which the narrative summary was updated: 
29 September 2015
30 March 2017
Reason for listing: 

Mujahidin Indonesian Timur (MIT) was listed on 29 September 2015 pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of resolution 2161 (2014) as being associated with Al-Qaida for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), listed as Al-Qaida in Iraq (QDe.115).

Additional information: 

Mujahidin Indonesian Timur (MIT) is a terrorist group linked to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), listed as Al-Qaida in Iraq (QDe.115). MIT is operational in Java and Sulawesi, Indonesia and also active in Indonesia’s eastern provinces. MIT’s former leader and Indonesia’s most wanted terrorist until his death, Abu Wardah, a.k.a. Santoso (deceased), was previously a commander in Jemmah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT) (QDe.133). MIT is comprised of dozens of fighters who trained at former Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) (QDe.092) founder and JAT leader Abu Bakar Ba’asyir (QDi.217) sponsored camp in Aceh, Indonesia. MIT members have ties to transnational terrorist organizations such as JAT and JI and some members of MIT have travelled to Syrian Arab Republic to fight with ISIL. Recently, MIT pledged allegiance to ISIL. The former leader of MIT, Abu Wardah, a.k.a. Santoso, also pledged allegiance to ISIL leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, listed as Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai (QDi.299). Since 2012, MIT has targeted Indonesian Government officials and security forces, and had killed numerous civilians and police officers in multiple attacks. MIT has become increasingly bold in their attacks on security forces, which include beheadings and the use of explosives and shootings.