OWNERS of the Equanimity, among whom is believed to be billionaire financier Low Taek Jho, said they will challenge a US court ruling ordering the seizure of the super yacht.

On Monday a US federal court judge Dale Fischer applied for the permit to seize the yacht.

In response, lawyers representing the owners said in a statement late today they were “disappointed but not surprised by the decision granting the US government’s motion for protective order”.

“The Court’s order compounds the injustice of the illegal seizure by contravening U.S. law governing the arrest of property located abroad, and Indonesian law governing legal assistance to foreign countries attempting to seize assets in Indonesia.

“The Court’s order does not sufficiently analyse the important legal principles raised by claimants in these proceedings,” they said in the statement.

The Equanimity was seized in February by Indonesian authorities in Bali at the request of US authorities seeking to confiscate the yacht that they say was bought with money siphoned from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) state fund.

However, an Indonesian court ruled that the seizure was invalid and without legal basis.

In the statement, the owners, represented as the claimants, said the US court had “improperly attempted to nullify the findings of the Indonesian court that the FBI-instigated seizure of the vessel was improper and legally baseless”.

The statement said the claimants will be challenging the “sweeping and unprecedented nature of” the court order.

“Claimants intend to vigorously defend their rights and their property and look forward to having the merits of their position heard,” the statement said.

The US Department of Justice is seeking to seize billions of dollars of assets allegedly purchased with funds stolen from 1MDB.

The Pakatan Harapan government has said it intends to recover all the assets to pay back the debts incurred by 1MDB. – May 16, 2018.