The National Police’s Crime Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has officially charged hardline cleric Bachtiar Nasir with embezzlement in the latest update to an investigation that began in 2016.
Nasir chaired the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI), an umbrella organization of hardline Islamic groups that was the driving force behind the mass protests against former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama (now known by his initials “BTP”) for his alleged blasphemy against Islam.
In late 2016, the National Police began investigating Nasir after international media reported that he embezzled funds for the purchase of logistics for a pro-IS group in Syria. Police said they had evidence Nasir sent money from the coffers of the Justice for All (KUS) foundation, which was set up to receive public donations to fund the anti-Ahok rallies.
Without revealing too many details about the development of the case, Bareskrim yesterday confirmed that Nasir has recently been named a suspect for embezzlement.
“We continue [with the investigation],” Daniel Silitonga, deputy director of Economic Crimes at Bareksrim told CNN Indonesia yesterday, adding that Nasir has been summoned for questioning on May 8.
Other than Nasir, police say that two people have been charged with embezzlement in the same case; one an employee at a sharia bank and the other the head of KUS.
Nasir previously denied the allegations, saying that the money from KUS was only used to fund the mass anti-Ahok rallies, as well as to provide aid to disaster victims in Aceh and West Nusa Tenggara.
