Indonesia's Top Muslim Council Voices Support For Ankara Amid Tensions With US - Reports

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the country's top Muslim clerical organization, on Wednesday voiced support for Ankara amid Turkey's tensions with the United States, media reported, citing one of the councils official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the country's top Muslim clerical organization, on Wednesday voiced support for Ankara amid Turkey's tensions with the United States, media reported, citing one of the councils officials.

US-Turkish relations have significantly deteriorated after US President Donald Trump on Friday authorized the doubling of US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Turkey. The move has sent the Turkish lira down to its all-time lows against the Dollar and euro, which prompted Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to describe the US move as an economic war against his country.

The head of the MUI external affairs committee, Muhyiddin Junaidi, said in an interview with the Ankara-based Anadolu news agency that the council expresses solidarity with Turkey in its ongoing row with Washington.

According to Junaidi, Washingtons policy was aimed at targeting Muslim countries and undercutting Turkey's regional influence.

Junaidi expressed confidence that the Turkish economy would cope with the US pressure, the media outlet reported.

He also suggested that Muslim countries should abandon the use of the US dollar in mutual trade and switch to national currencies.

Following the spike in US tariffs, Erdogan similarly urged Turkish people to sell US Dollars and boycott US electronic goods. Earlier on Wednesday, Turkey sharply raised levies on several types of US imports, including tobacco and alcohol.

The tensions between the two countries initially heightened earlier in August, when the Trump administration froze the assets of two Turkish ministers after Ankara refused to release US pastor Andrew Brunson, arrested by Turkey on suspicion of ties to the Gulen movement back in 2016. Brunson was released from jail in late July but placed under house arrest. The movement of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara and accused of having orchestrated the July 2016 failed military coup in the country.