Indonesia seeks ban on Islamic State linked group

Indonesia's government has asked a court to ban Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a militant network linked to the Islamic State group, hoping to strangle its funding and support.

Also known as JAD, the network of almost two dozen extremist organizations has been implicated in numerous attacks in Indonesia and was designated a terror organization by the U.S. last year.

Chief Prosecutor Heri Jerman told the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday that declaring the group illegal would empower stronger police action against it. He said funds and property could be seized and members not actively involved in attacks could be arrested.

A radical cleric who founded JAD, Aman Abdurrahman, was sentenced to death last month for inciting attacks including a 2016 suicide bombing at a Starbucks in Jakarta.