The president of the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia, on Thursday called the actions of Islamic State militants "embarrassing" to the religion and urged Islamic leaders to unite in tackling extremism.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the scale of the slaughter wrought by the extremists in overrunning large swathes of Iraq and Syria and the level of violence being used was appalling.
"It is shocking. It is becoming out of control," he said in an interview with The Australian, a day after IS released a video showing a masked militant beheading US reporter James Foley, provoking worldwide revulsion.
"We do not tolerate it, we forbid ISIS in Indonesia," he added, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, as IS was formerly known.
"Indonesia is not an Islamic state. We respect all religions."
He urged international leaders to work together to combat radicalisation.
"This is a new wake-up call to international leaders all over the world, including Islamic leaders," he said, adding that the actions of IS were not only "embarrassing" to Islam but "humiliating", the newspaper reported.
"All leaders must review how to combat extremism. Changing paradigms on both sides are needed -- how the West perceives Islam and how Islam perceives the West."
Indonesia is home to the world's biggest Muslim population of about 225 million and has long struggled with terrorism. But a successful clampdown in recent years has seen the end of major deadly attacks.
Jakarta has estimated that dozens of Indonesians have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight and Yudhoyono said he was concerned about their return, adding that he had tasked agencies to oppose the spread of extremist ideology in the sprawling nation.
"Our citizens here in Indonesia are picking up recruitment messages from ISIS containing extremist ideas," said the president, whose decade in office comes to an end in October.
"The philosophy of ISIS stands against the fundamental values we embrace in Indonesia. Last Friday, in my state of the union address to the nation, I called on all Indonesians to reject ISIS and to stop the spread of its radical ideology.
"My government and security agencies have taken decisive steps to curtail the spread of ISIS in Indonesia, including by prohibiting Indonesians to join ISIS or to fight for ISIS, and also by blocking Internet sites that promote this idea."
'Pure evil'
Indonesia's neighbour Australia has also seen up to 150 of its nationals join the militants, with the photo of an Australian boy holding a severed head in Syria last week sparking global condemnation.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Thursday said IS was "as close to pure evil as we're ever likely to find" and what happened to Foley was "sickening".
He also voiced concern that jailed Indonesian militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir -- the chief ideologue of regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah -- had pledged allegiance to IS.
JI is blamed for the Bali bombings in 2002, which claimed 88 Australian lives, although a successful crackdown over the past decade has weakened such groups.
"That does indicate the potential for increased terrorist activity in our region," Abbott told reporters when asked about Bashir's pledge.
Bashir, a vocal supporter of Al-Qaeda style jihad, has been in and out of prison for years and is currently serving a 15-year term for funding terrorism.
AFP
Thu Aug 21 2014
SUSILO: We do not tolerate it, we forbid ISIS in Indonesia. - File pic
Portal MYStartup dilancar, platform sehenti untuk syarikat pemula
MYStartup Single Window direka untuk memupuk kerjasama, inovasi dan jangkauan global, menawarkan maklumat yang teratur kepada pengasas, pelabur dan bakat teknologi.
Penyiasatan melalui data sistem pemantauan penerbangan
Ketua Unit Penerbangan Mencari dan Menyelamat, Prof Madya MEJAR Dr Mohd Harridon Suffian, berkata usaha mengenalpasti data penting akan ditumpukan oleh pasukan mencari dan menyelamat bagi melengkapkan siasatan berhubung nahas.
Nahas Helikopter: TLDM tubuh Lembaga Siasatan
Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) akan menubuhkan Lembaga Siasatan bagi mengenal pasti punca dua helikopter yang terhempas semasa raptai Perbarisan Hari TLDM Ke-90 di Pangkalan TLDM Lumut, pada 9.32 pagi, Selasa.
'Malaysia ada kelebihan di Piala Thomas'
Pemain profesional negara Cheam June Wei menyifatkan pasukan negara mempunyai kelebihan tersendiri pada pertarungan pusingan pertama bertemu Hong Kong pada kejohanan Piala Thomas 2024.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: 'Hari yang amat menyedihkan buat kita semua' - MB Perak
Saarani turut mengucapkan takziah kepada seluruh keluarga wira-wira TLDM yang terlibat dalam tragedi kemalangan helikopter itu.
Keracunan makanan: KPM lakukan siasatan penuh
Kementerian Pendidikan (KPM) akan melakukan siasatan penuh dan terperinci berhubung kejadian lebih 70 pelajar di sebuah sekolah menengah di Kota Bharu mengalami keracunan makanan Sabtu lepas.
Jalan alternatif Kampung Kundur ke Bandar Lama Gua Musang ditutup - JKR
Jalan alternatif dari Kampung Kundur ke Bandar Lama Gua Musang (laluan D238) akan ditutup bagi memberi laluan kepada kerja-kerja pembinaan Jambatan Kampung Kerinting yang baharu.
Nestlé Malaysia Bhd kembali perkenal peraduan Nestlé Gaji Seumur Hidup
Nestlé Malaysia Bhd memperkenalkan semula peraduan Nestlé Gaji Seumur Hidup sebagai sebahagian daripada komitmen berterusan dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyat dan menyumbang kepada komuniti tempatan.
Pelaksanaan SKDS 2.0 bantu elak ketirisan, seludup diesel berterusan
Pelaksanaan Pelaksanaan Sistem Kawalan Diesel Bersubsidi 2.0 (SKDS 2.0) bersama Industri Pengangkutan Barangan merupakan langkah dalam mewujudkan persekitaran lebih kondusif dan mengelak ketirisan dan penyeludupan berterusan.
Lawatan Rasmi: Mohamad ke China bermula hari ini
Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan mengadakan lawatan rasminya yang pertama ke China selama tiga hari bermula hari ini.
Dalang pengeboman Bali 2002, Abu Bakar Bashir, dibebaskan hari ini
Guru agama ekstrem dari Indonesia, Abu Bakar Bashir, yang didakwa bersalah mendalangi serangan bom di Bali dibebaskan hari ini.
Abu Bakar Bashir dibebaskan Jumaat ini
Pemimpin tertinggi Jemaah Islamiah yang juga perancang pengebom di Bali pada 2002 hanya menjalani separuh daripada hukuman penjara ke atasnya.
PDRM pantau pembebasan Abu Bakar Bashir
Abu Bakar Bashir akan dipantau rapi oleh Polis Diraja Malaysia jika ulama radikal Indonesia itu dibebaskan oleh kerajaan Indonesia.
Indonesia kaji semula keputusan bebaskan Abu Bakar Bashir
Indonesia mengkaji keputusan presiden untuk membebaskan ulama radikal Abu Bakar Bashir berikutan kritikan domestik dan antarabangsa.
Abu Bakar Bashir dijangka dibebaskan
Guru agama radikal Abu Bakar Bashir, 80, dijangka dibebaskan dengan pelepasan parol iaitu pembebasan bersyarat dalam masa beberapa hari lagi.
Ancaman Daish: Malaysia bertukar maklumat dengan Indonesia - TPM
Lebih 300 pengikut bekas pemimpin Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) Abu Bakar Bashir, yang sebelum ini dihukum kerana terlibat dengan kegiatan keganasan, akan dibebaskan daripada penjara sekitar Indonesia.
PDRM diarah halang pengikut Abu Bakar Bashir masuki Malaysia - Ahmad Zahid
PDRM telah diarah menghalang pengikut pemimpin Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT) Abu Bakar Bashir dari masuk ke negara ini.