Terrorist Organization Profile:
Front for Defenders of Islam

Front for Defenders of Islam was formed following the Southeast Asian financial crisis of 1997. FPI members vocally oppose the establishments of prostitution, drugs, gambling and bars. A typical FPI attack would involve a group of young men dressed in white robes and armed with rattan sticks, stones or machetes. The FPI members use their weapons to destroy street kiosks and drinking establishments that have been deemed immoral. The nature of FPI attacks have prompted some observers to deem FPI simply a group of thugs; however, FPI's religious objectives imply that FPI is more than a criminal group. In fact, FPI seeks to create social change through the employ of violent tactics. In addition, FPI has spoken against the presence of the United States in Indonesia and Afghanistan. FPI threatened to targets Westerners as retaliation for US actions in Afghanistan, but these threats were not carried out.

Most recently, FPI asserted itself following the December 2004 tsunami disaster, which killed over 100,000 people in Indonesia alone. FPI operated a refugee camp for tsunami victims, but the group also espoused violence at this time. FPI threatened Christian relief agencies operating in Indonesia. According to FPI, if the Christian groups went beyond the distribution of aid by preaching Christian values or attempting attempted to convert refugees, FPI would target and "chase down" the Christian groups. FPI also warned Australia that it was not welcome in Indonesia after it had completed its humanitarian work for the tsunami victims.

Learn more about these U.S. Department of State classifications:

Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs)

Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL)