Overview
Bachrumsyah Mennor Usman was an Indonesian citizen and U.S.-designated ISIS operative based in Syria.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Usman commanded ISIS fighters—including by coordinating their travel and communication—and facilitated funding for ISIS in Indonesia. He was also believed to recruit for the group. He was previously a member of the Indonesian jihadist organization Jemaah Islamiyah. The U.S. Department of the Treasury classified Usman as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on January 10, 2016.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx. On April 17, 2018, he was reportedly killed in a U.S. airstrike in Syria, although the U.S. military was unable to confirm his death.Roni Toldanes, “Pentagon: No Confirmation on Indonesian IS Leader’s Purported Death,” Benar News, April 20, 2018, https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-militants-04202018182403.html.
Usman pledged allegiance to ISIS in February 2014 at an ISIS-aligned mosque in Indonesia“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx.The following month, he joined ISIS in Syria and began facilitating the travel of Indonesian foreign fighters to ISIS-controlled territory.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in September 2014 Usman was appointed head of ISIS’s Archipelago Group, also known as Katibah Nusantara—a unit comprised of Southeast Asian fighters dedicated to organizing and conducting attacks in their home countries.Joe Cochrane, “Explosions in Jakarta, Indonesia,” New York Times, January 14, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/live/jakarta-indonesia-explosions/background-on-katibah-nusantara-a-military-unit-under-isis-linked-to-jakarta-attacks/;
“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx;
John McBeth, “Inside the cauldron of Indonesian-ISIS terror,” Asia Times, January 17, 2017, http://www.atimes.com/article/inside-cauldron-indonesian-isis-terror/.
Usman appeared in a number of ISIS propaganda videos, including a July 2014 video entitled “Join the Ranks” in which he encouraged Indonesians to support the terror group.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx;
“ISIS Online Recruitment Video “Join the Ranks” Featured Indonesian Jihadists,” Global Indonesian Voices, July 31, 2014, http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/14849/isis-online-recruitment-video-join-the-ranks-featured-indonesian-jihadists/. Following the video’s release, Indonesian authorities discovered an underground ISIS recruitment network, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In March 2015, Usman appeared in another ISIS video that portrayed Indonesian and Malaysian children partaking in ISIS training camp activities, including firing machine guns.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx.
Usman previously studied under Indonesian Islamist Aman Abdurrahman, a.k.a. Omar Rochman, before the latter’s arrest and imprisonment in December 2010. Following Abdurrahman’s conviction, Usman co-founded an Indonesian Islamist group—alongside U.S.-designated operative Tuah Febriwansyah, a.k.a. Muhammad Fachary—that declared its support for ISIS in February 2014.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Usman alongside Abdurrahman and Australian ISIS propagandist Khaled Sharrouf. He was also designated alongside Neil Prakash, an Australian ISIS recruiter and propagandist also sanctioned by the United Nations and Australia.U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx;
“Counter-terrorism related sanctions listing,” Minister for Foreign Affairs, June 5, 2015, http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2015/jb_mr_150604.aspx;
“Charter of the United Nations Act 1945 Listing 2015 (No. 2),” United Nations via Commonwealth of Australia, June 4, 2015 https://www.dropbox.com/s/knbydc3mjwihlka/C2015G00866%20-%20Charter%20of%20the%20United%20Nations%20Act%201945%20Listing%202015%20(No.%202).pdf?dl=0. Prakash has been featured in numerous ISIS videos, and has used social media platforms, including Twitter, to encourage Australians to join ISIS.Martin Chulov and Paul Farrell, “Revealed: the new face of Neil Prakash, Australia’s most wanted Isis member,” Guardian (London), December 2, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/03/neil-prakash-new-images-isis-member-arrest-turkey-australia.
On April 17, 2018, social media reports alleged that Usman had been killed in a U.S. airstrike in Syria. On pro-ISIS Telegram channels, militants eulogized Usman as “a martyr having been exposed to the bombardment of a B-1 Lancer fighter jet in the Hajin, Syria area.” The U.S. military publicly stated that although it had conducted bombings on April 17 in Hajin, it was unable to confirm that Usman had been killed.Roni Toldanes, “Pentagon: No Confirmation on Indonesian IS Leader’s Purported Death,” Benar News, April 20, 2018, https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-militants-04202018182403.html.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- ISIS
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, territory-controlling, religious, terrorist, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Islamist, jihadist, pan-Islamist, Salafist, takfiri
- Position(s):
- Foreign fighter, commander, recruiter, facilitator, head of the Katibah Nusantara unit
ISIS is a violent jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria. The group has declared wilayas (provinces) in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the North Caucasus. ISIS has also waged attacks in Turkey, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Iraq, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia, and Kuwait.
History
U.S. Department of the Treasury
The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated “Bachrumsyah Mennor Usman” as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 on January 10, 2017.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives,” U.S Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx.
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
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