Jakarta – Democracy activists have accused a group affiliated with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party of attacking the office of Bendera, a rival group associated with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Ferdi Semaun of Bendera said he believed the attacks had a connection to his group's criticism of Yudhoyono and Democratic Party politicians during a recent street demonstration marking the coalition government's first 100 days in power.

The police statement that the attack was a "purely criminal incident" was misleading, he said.

"We believe people behind the attacks were closely related to one of the Democratic Party supporter organizations, (namely) the Nusantara Network," he said Sunday, adding that he personally recognized one of the assailants as a member of that organization.

Nusantara Network activists dismissed the claims as "baseless". "We're sorry about the incident but we know nothing about who did it. We don't resort to violence to resolve any problems," Nusantara Network deputy coordinator M. Fachrudin said.

Bendera activists had accused several top figures close to the President of having received funds from the troubled Century Bank.

A group of allegedly drunken men attacked Bendera's office on Friday night, seeking two Bendera activists by the names of Ferdi Semaun and Mustar Bonaventura. The assailants then began throwing rocks and beating people after they failed to find their targets.