Treasury sanctions terrorist group JAT

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury Department Thursday froze the assets of three individuals associated with an Indonesian terrorist group with ties to al-Qaida.

The group, Jemmah Anshorut Tauhid, is responsible for "multiple coordinated attacks" that have killed civilians, police and military personnel in Indonesia, the department said.

JAT has targeted civilians and public officials in a campaign of terror aimed at setting up an Islamic government in Indonesia. They have funded their weapons purchases through bank robberies and "other illicit activities," the department said.

The group is responsible for the Sept. 25, 2011, suicide bomb attack on a church in Central Java and an April 2011 attack on a mosque in West Java, the department said. Each of the attacks resulted in dozens of casualties.

The Treasury Department's action was announced in tandem with the State Department declaring JAT a foreign terrorist organization Thursday.

The Treasury Department said it has frozen the assets of acting Emir Mochammad Achwan, JAT spokesperson Son Hadi bin Muhadjir and JAT leader Abdul Rosyid Ridho Ba'asyir.

Ba'asyir is also the co-founder and former leader of the terrorist group Jemmah Islamiya, which was responsible for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed more than 200 people, Treasury said.